I live in the U.S. and have had to watch Series 8 and 9 on questionably legal web sites. I am completely obsessed! My husband and I want to come to London to watch the first episode of Series 10. I'm *hoping* there will be a Ruth/Harry scene that will make it worth it! When do you all think it will be on? I'm guessing around September 25th. Does that sound right? Also, do you know if you can watch the iplayer from the U.S.? Thanks so much!

I'm guessing around September/October time, but not sure yet, it would be announced after the Series has been filmed, journalist Ian Wylie will probably let us know when the air date is for 10.1
I heard a rumour that it begins filming March 14th, the same day Nicola Walker finishes her work for Theatre... Don't know true that might be, but I'm pretty sure shooting for S10 will begin in March and should be aired no later than late October
Not sure about iPlayer in the U.S though

Hmmm, OK, thanks Forever Secret. I guess I'll have to wait to book my ticket and hope for a last-minute deal! The tickets are so expensive now, anyway.
I can't think of a better excuse to go to London!

You can't use the BBC iPlayer in the US because you have to have a UK IP address. My best guess is that it is an issue of content copyright. Blah, blah, blah...! The legalities of it all is about when I start to daydream until its over. It mostly has to do with the fact that BBC productions are paid for by the license fee viewers in the UK pay in order to watch the BBC. If the rest of us could just plow in and view what they'd paid for, it wouldn't be very fair to them would it?

BBC Worldwide say they are working on an International version to be released when its ready. Purportedly, sometime in 2011. It will be fee based as well. If it would help cover the budget gap and give us Spooks S11, 12 and beyond, I'd pay it!

I'd be totally willing to pay to help support Spooks! So viewers in the UK pay a fee? Is that because they don't have ads? It's so strange to think about that business model from over here where everything is ad supported. I wish Spooks had a huge budget. If they would just show it on one of our networks and sell air time to advertisers - problem solved all around! I know it would get huge ratings, because it's SO good, and frankly far better than anything we produce here.

UK citizens, please feel free to clarify or correct what I am saying here!

Yes, the fee means that they don't have ads. Although, I think there are commercial TV stations in the UK as well.

As for the BBC, very simply put, the government sets an annual fee that viewers have to pay if they want to watch TV. Its categorized as a tax. You kind of have to pay it. Its something like $240.00 USD annually for color. That money from the fee goes to fund the programmes we know and love. It covers about 75% of the cost of the TV, radio and internet services with the BBC Worldwide (BBC America, baby!) making up the rest of it. They are not allowed to use the UK license fee to fund programming on any of the BBC Worldwide stations. Consequently, our 1 hour and 20 minutes versions of Top Gear in order to play the full episode without losing commercial time. Or, worse, yet, butchered episodes of your favorite programmes that make absolutely no sense!

Yes you are right A Cousin. You have to pay the licence fee or you can get fined or worse in the UK. On top of the 5 main channels, two of which are BBC owned you have SKY which you can pay a monthly subscription. The problem at the moment is that the BBC hasn't been run particularly well and they have expanded too much into specialist areas. On top of that the Government has frozen the licence fee for the next few years which means a real time cut in their finances. Hence the BBC is struggling a little to fund everything it wants too. I have some sympathy with their plight but they do seem to still invest a lot of money in new drama which people are not really fussed about. Outcasts is unfortunately a recent example of this.

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Oh yes, and you don't get adverts on BBC channels which really is a blessing. Watching Boardwalk Empire on SKY Atlantic channel is annoying. Every 10mins you have an add break!!

For all its faults, the BBC is amazing. I think we are so lucky to have ad free TV and radio which on the whole is high quality, especially the radio and the news programmes. The licence fee is about £140 at the moment, less than £14 a month. Ok, so not all the drama is fantastic, but at least they are able to be braver with what they broadcast. Look at ITV with its reality shows and nightly dose of soft soap, all of which they have to make because that's what the big businesses want wrapped around their adverts.

And so endeth the lesson on public telly! Sorry about that, folks!

the biggest probelm the BBC has at the moment isd the conservative/LibDem government! the torys do not like the idea of the BBC and would be very happy to break it up. i agree that the bbc has diversified to much do we really need so many radio stations? BBC3 is a waste it just shows repeates of Doctor who, torchwood, gavin and stacey ETC and nonsense like that whole snog marry avoid!
that said the BBC is the best thing about the UK, some of the programing gives children a doorway into things they would never have experienced when i was small it was the first place i saw and heard of the lion the witch and the wardrobe, the borrowers which encoraged me to read the books.

BBC isnt missmanaged as such there are just as with everything to many chiefs and not enough indians!

i think spooks will be back around the same time this year but drama dosnt seem to be where they are putting there money

Oh what I would give to just turn up at the set where they will be shooting!