​Since this is a live broadcast, the TV licence exception no longer applies. As such, Netflix viewers — as well as those who tune-in to other streamers who dabble in live events — will need to spend £169.50 on the licence fee.

A spokesperson for the BBC told GB News: “A TV Licence is needed to watch live content on streaming services, watch or record a TV programme on any channel and when using BBC iPlayer. Further information is available on the TV Licensing website or via the customer services team, who can help with any queries.”

The loophole was first spotted by the team at telly-centric blog CordBusters.

Netflix isn’t alone, with a number of streamers now experimenting with live broadcasts. Prime Video has aired Premier League fixtures to its fans, who can watch with a standalone £5.99 subscription or as part of an annual Prime membership, as well as coverage of the ATP Tour, WTA Tour, and European Open.

Meanwhile, Disney+ streamed Elon John’s farewell concert, Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium, on November 20, 2023 — the 47th anniversary of his 1975 performance at the Los Angeles ballpark. Apple TV+ has secured the rights to all football matches in the Major League Soccer 2024 season too, marking its continued push into live sports coverage.

Given that so many of these streaming services previously only offered on-demand content — and were therefore exempt from the TV licence — their changing schedules and the ramifications for licence fee payers will likely catch some viewers off-guard. Many (outdated) online guides claim that viewers who stream exclusively from ITVX, Channel 4, Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ do not need to pay the £169.50 fee.

Crucially, whether you need a TV licence fee is never determined by the device you’re using to watch a programme. It applies to traditional TVs, as well as desktop computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets, games consoles, set-top boxes like Sky Stream, and or DVD/VHS recorders.

Earlier this month, the TV license fee rose 6.6% up to £169.50 a year. The rise is determined based on the rate of inflation as measured in September last year. The previous TV licence fee was £159 a year.

Elsewhere, the price of a black-and-white TV licence is increasing by £3.50 going from £53.50 to £57.

In a statement to the House of Commons, the Culture secretary said the £10.50 hike would be “felt” by households but added that the BBC was facing “increasing pressure” due to “a rapidly changing media landscape”.