Their fascinating, hair-raising exploits, excavating abandoned Welsh mines in search of long-buried stories and artefacts, have earned Ioan Lord and Al Tansey – respectively a steam train worker and dairy farmer by day – a 40,000-subscriber YouTube channel, and now a TV special, for which they'll undertake their most ambitious expedition yet.
Here's how to watch "Secrets of the Lost Mines" online from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for free.
"Secrets of the Lost Mines" airs for free in the U.K. on Friday, November 1 at 7:30 p.m. GMT (3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT) on BBC One.
• WATCH FREE — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
The 30-minute special sees Ioan and Al return to their Everest, the sprawling, multi-level 'Museum Mine', as they've nicknamed it, after all of the relics they're yet to unearth. For years, their efforts to explore its labyrinth of tunnels were frustrated by a blockade, but they've now cleared a new pathway.
Informed by hours of meticulous research conducted at the National Library in Aberystwyth, Ioan believes it's a treasure trove of Victorian artefacts, and also the former worksite of one of his ancestors.
In their own words, they want to make sure the people who lived, worked and died in these mines, in appalling conditions, are remembered. Read on to find out how to watch "Secrets of the Lost Mines" online, on TV and from anywhere.
How to watch 'Secrets of the Lost Mines' free online
How to watch 'Secrets of the Lost Mines' from abroad
Thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), "Secrets of the Lost Mines" should be available to Brits no matter where they are. The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you find yourself. Our favorite is NordVPN.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're away from the U.K. and want to view a British service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and watch the show. Head to BBC iPlayer to watch "Secrets of the Lost Mines" online and on-demand.
How to watch 'Secrets of the Lost Mines' around the world
Can I watch 'Secrets of the Lost Mines' in the U.S.?
There are currently no plans to air "Secrets of the Lost Mines" in the U.S. but if you are a Brit across the pond for work or on vacation you can catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'Secrets of the Lost Mines' in Canada?
There's no confirmed broadcast slot for "Secrets of the Lost Mines" in Canada yet, but if you're you're usually based in the U.K. but are visiting Canada, you can still catch the documentary by using a VPN, such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'Secrets of the Lost Mines' in Australia?
Similarly, there are currently no plans to air "Secrets of the Lost Mines" in Australia, but if you're Down Under from the U.K., you can catch the show by using a VPN, such as NordVPN.
