The brought music's biggest names – including RAYE and Olivia Dean – to rainy Newcastle on Thursday, October 22, for a star-studded awards show.
Heavyweights Paul McCartney and Dave were among the 12 shortlisted album artists, with the winner receiving £25,000.
Hosted by Lauren Laverne at the sold-out Utilita Arena, the ceremony, which celebrated the year's best British and Irish albums, aired on BBC Four.
Missed it? Below, we'll show you how to watch a from anywhere...
How to watch Mercury Music Prize for free on BBC iPlayer
How to watch Mercury Prize 2026 from anywhere
BBC iPlayer is only showing the Mercury Prize (2026) to residents in the UK.
Brits traveling or working outside the UK will need to use a VPN to access BBC iPlayer's stream.
There are lots of VPNs but is the one you can rely on to unblock BBC iPlayer and watch the Mercury Album of The Year show from anywhere in the world.
How to use a VPN – 3 simple steps
It's super simple to use a VPN to watch the Mercury Music Prize replay on BBC iPlayer.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the US and want to watch your free BBC iPlayer stream, you'd select 'UK'.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayer, sign in, and watch for free.
What devices is BBC iPlayer available on?
You can use BBC iPlayer on all of the following devices and platforms:
Who performed at the Mercury Music Prize 2026?
RAYE, Olivia Dean, JADE, Florence + The Machine, Nia Archives, Suede, Kojey Radical, Knats and Dove Ellis performed, with Pulp also taking the stage.
- Dave – The Boy Who Played the Harp
- Florence + The Machine – Everybody Scream
- JADE – THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY!
- Knats – A Great Day In Newcastle
- Kojey Radical – Don't Look Down
- Nia Archives – Emotional Junglist
- Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
- Paul McCartney – The Boys of Dungeon Lane
- RAYE – THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Tom is a journalist, copywriter and content designer based in the UK. He has written articles for What Hi-Fi?, T3, ShortList, The Sun, The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph, Elle Deco, The Sunday Times, Men's Health and many more. His specialities include the streaming services, mobile technology and electric vehicles.