"Smoggie Queens" is an underdog comedy that serves as a loud and proud celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. Here's how to watch "Smoggie Queens" online from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for free.
"Smoggie Queens" premieres on Thursday, November 28 on BBC Three at 10.10 p.m. GMT (5.10 p.m. ET/ 2.10 p.m. PT). All six episodes are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
• WATCH FREE — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
They are a marginalized community, forgotten by mainstream society and used to being treated like second class citizens. And that's just people from Middlesbrough {aka "Smoggies"), an industrial town in the North East of England. Drill down to find the local drag community and you have "Smoggie Queens".
Naturally, there is drama but also friendship, loyalty and a refusal to conform that wins over all the other pressures 'Dickie' and his friends may have to face. On the way to Middlesbrough Pride there are also appearances from RuPaul’s Drag Race royalty Michelle Visage and Boro’s own TV celeb Steph McGovern.
Read on to find out how to watch "Smoggie Queens" online from anywhere.
How to watch "Smoggie Queens" for free in the U.K.
How to watch 'Smoggie Queens' from abroad
Thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), "Smoggie Queens" 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 U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and watch the show. Head to BBC iPlayer to watch "Smoggie Queens" episodes online and on-demand.
How to watch 'Smoggie Queens' around the world
Can I watch "Smoggie Queens" in the United States?
There are currently no plans to air "Smoggie Queens" in the U.S..
However, if you are a Brit in the States for work or on vacation you can catch the show for free by using a VPN such as NordVPN, choosing U.K. from the list and selecting BBC iPlayer.
Watch "Smoggie Queens" online and on-demand in the U.K.
If you live in the U.K. then you can catch "Smoggie Queens" when it premieres on Thursday, November 28 on BBC Three at 10.10 p.m. GMT (5.10 p.m. ET / 2.10 p.m. PT). All six episodes are also available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer. You'll need a valid TV licence, naturally.
If you're not in the U.K., you can still catch the show by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
Can I watch "Smoggie Queens" online in Canada?
As with the U.S. there are currently no plans to air "Smoggie Queens" in Canada but if you are a Brit in the Great White North for work or on vacation you can catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Can I watch "Smoggie Queens" online in Australia?
We're not aware of any plans to air "Smoggie Queens" in Australia right now but if you are a Brit working or on vacation Down Under you can catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
'Smoggie Queens' - Cast
- Dickie - Phil Dunning
- Mam - Mark Benton
- Lucinda - Alexandra Mardell
- Sal -Patsy Lowe
- Stewart - Elijah Young
- Neil - Neil Grainger
- Harrison - Peter McPherson
- Victor Starbright - Ashley Artus
- Gary - Alastair Chisholm
- Date 2 - Shahbaaz Khan
- Trev - David Kirkbride
- Brenda - Sarah Martin
- Judge Dylan - Toby Olubi
- Mel - Lauryn Redding
- Danni - Charlotte Riley
- Date's Mother - Angela Rose
- Marcus - Mark Stobbart
- Date 1 - Sol Taibi
- Elaine - Michelle Visage
- Moira - Alison Ward
'Smoggie Queens' S1 episode guide
SEASON 01 EPISODE 01: A Smoggie Break-Up - Dickie's friends and family gather round when his boyfriend dumps him on the doorstep. Can he fight for his love and win back his man?
S01 E02: A Smoggie Fairy Tale - Sick of dating creeps, Lucinda is given the royal princess treatment courtesy of her fairy godmother. Sal auditions for a talent show, and Dickie offers sage advice in the workplace.
S01 E03: A Smoggie Feud - Dickie's friends and family gather round when his boyfriend dumps him on the doorstep. Can he fight for his love and win back his man?
S01 E04: A Smoggie Murder - It’s games night, and Dickie has concocted 'an absolutely amazing' murder mystery evening full of twists and turns. Solving the murder should be easy, if he can keep it all on track.
S01 E05: A Smoggie Birthday - The gang learn that it’s Stewart’s birthday, but he doesn’t want them to make a big fuss out of it in case his grandmother or colleagues find out he’s gay. The queens come up with a cunning plan.
S01 E06: A Smoggie Pride - It’s Middlesbrough Pride! Mam is hosting the main stage and has booked a Girls Aloud drag tribute act. It ‘promises’ to be a banger.
'Smoggie Queens' FAQ
What is a 'Smoggie'?
A resident of Middlesbrough, an industrial town in the North East of England.
What has creator and star ('Dickie') of 'Smoggie Queens' - Phil Dinning - said about the show?
Firstly, what is Smoggie Queens all about?
Smoggie Queens is a camp, silly, queer gang show set in the North East town of Middlesbrough. It follows a group of five friends as they navigate life, love and wigs. It’s essentially an out-and-out slapstick sitcom with a big old gay heart.
What’s the inspiration behind the series?
Having performed character comedy on the live circuit for years, I often did a character very similar to Dickie. So the inspiration came from that. I loved playing the character and decided to try and develop it into a TV format. The initial pilot was a completely different setting and focussed more on Dickie as a millionaire protagonist with the rest of the gang as his staff. Once producer Chris got involved, he encouraged me to go down more of a ‘write what you know’ route. And so I moved the characters over to the Smoggie setting it is now with the gang as a group of friends. Which makes a LOT more sense because I have personally never had staff.
Do you relate to your character in any way?
I would hope that I don’t relate to him too much because he’s a self-obsessed narcissist. He says things I would/could never say. But maybe I’ve created him as an outlet for my own self-obsessed narcissism bubbling under the surface?!
How would you describe Dickie’s role in the group?
Dickie is a leader in the group. He tends to dictate a lot of what they get up to and steers them into various ridiculous situations. He thinks of himself as an independent gay who doesn’t need anyone to get by, but deep down he absolutely does need the other queens. They’re his family.
Why was it important to film the series in Middlesbrough?
It was never an option to film anywhere else. It had to be in Middlesbrough. Normally the only TV shows filmed in Boro are crime documentaries or programmes dedicated to finding the worst place to live in Britain. Smoggie Queens is a love letter to the town and highlights the warmth and humour of the people who live there.
What defines a Smoggie Queen?
A Smoggie Queen is somebody who is a bit of a weirdo. Someone who doesn’t conform to the status quo. An outsider and ideally somebody who’s from Teesside but that’s not a prerequisite. We’re very inclusive.
What was your highlight from filming?
There were so many, it’s genuinely impossible to choose one. But I guess performing a lip sync with Michelle Visage in the green room was probably up there.
The costume and make up throughout the series is amazing, how did you find getting into character each day?
I loved getting my drag makeup done because it meant sitting in the makeup chair for a couple of hours and having a gorgeous goss with the amazing makeup team. I also find it weirdly relaxing.
In terms of costume… if you ask me when I first put the costumes on I would tell you how much I love wearing 8 inch stilettos and how empowered I feel in them. If you ask me 12 hours later, at the end of a filming day, I’ll probably be on the floor in a corner, crying.
My favourite look is Detective Sexy from Episode 4 because… well… I felt and looked dead sexy.
What do you want audiences to take away from watching the show?
Apart from the obvious joy and elation, it’d be lovely for an audience to feel like they want to hang out with the queens. Each of the gang is so different and they all have their own individual quirks and characteristics. Hopefully an audience would relate to at least one of them. Just like the Spice Girls.
The show celebrates the idea of a chosen family. What does chosen family mean to you?
Chosen family can be everything to a queer person. Growing up, we naturally feel different and like we don’t fit in. To find others that accept and embrace you for who you are can be a lifeline.
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