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How can you watch The Grand Tour legally?

Updated: It launches globally today -but how can Aussies watch the new show by former Top Gear hosts?

The Grand Tour launches in the UK, US, Germany, Austria and Japan today, but no broadcaster nor streaming service in Australia has the rights to the show, given the ongoing rumours of a launch of Amazon Prime.

But Tech journo Trevor Long wrote on his blog that he stumbled upon a legal access to Amazon Prime shows with his credit card.

“I had a double take – had I signed up for some useless service (Given I don’t shop on Amazon)? So I trawled my way through the horrible user interface at Amazon to find ‘Your Prime Video’ – and was presented with a wide variety of video content cover art to click on,” he writes.

“Surely the stream won’t work though? Goliath – huge Amazon production.

“Yep, it worked.

“Wait – what? Yep, It worked. I was streaming an Amazon Original Series via Amazon’s website using Amazon Prime as a paid subscriber using my normal Amazon account with an Australian address and not using a VPN.”

The service didn’t include other titles such as Transparent which are with other providers here.

However the former Top Gear hosts released a video this week reading out a letter from HoldenMan3000, a disgruntled Australian viewer, complaining the show would not be available here.

They confirmed episodes will be available for 199 other nations via Amazon’s site from December.

Updated: An Amazon spokesperson told TV Tonight, “We have not launched Amazon Prime in Australia. The service some Australians have signed-up for is the US or UK Prime Membership, which provides free, fast shipping within the US or UK, as well as access to some Amazon Originals, such as The Grand Tour, where we have the global rights.”

8 Responses

  1. I have a question – noticed when you sign up for the free 30 day thing they need a credit card. Is it like Netflix and others where you then go on to a paid service if you don’t cancel before the 30 days?

  2. Amazon really dropped the ball with this, they have had 18 months since they signed these guys and know how anticipated it is around the world but are like “Wait a few weeks to watch it unless you are in one of these 4 countries then you can watch when we’ve been advertising it will start” I think evidence from around the world shows that in this day and age people don’t even want to wait 1 minute more then they have to to watch something

  3. We have always been able to sign up for Amazon Prime.
    This isnt a new thing. Ive had a Amazon Prime account for ages.
    You can even sign up for a free trial period too.
    Only issue is we dont get all the other benefits of Amazon Prime like free shipping etc.

    1. They limit a lot of other stuff too e.g. Kindle books, etc, that they don’t have the rights for outside of US & territories.

      But, from memory, didn’t they say months ago that TGT would be available to all Prime subscribers regardless?

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