Love Actually: 20 Years Later: how to watch in the UK, can I stream Christmas movie special on Hulu?

When it comes to classic British films, for many Love Actually would come in at the top of the list, and next year the Richard Curtis directed film will turn 20 years old. To mark the upcoming anniversary, a one-off special was announced that a number of the original cast members reunite to reflect on one of the most beloved Christmas films of all time.

This is everything you need to know about Love Actually: 20 Years Later - and how you can watch the special in the UK.

What is Love Actually: 20 Years Later?

The full name of the one off special is actually Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later, and is part of ABC’s ongoing documentary series 20/20. The one hour long programme is hosted by ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer, and features interviews with stars of the film including:

• Hugh Grant (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Notting Hill)
• Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Matilda)
• Bill Nighy (About Time, The Man Who Fell to Earth)
• Laura Linney (Ozark, The Truman Show)
• Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Pistol, Maze Runner)
• Olivia Olson (Adventure Time, Phineas and Ferb) 

Director and writer Richard Curtis also joined Sawyer to chat about the film, and Martine McCutcheon (Echo Beach, Moving Wallpaper) who plays Natalie, also had a message for viewers during the special.

McCutcheon said: “I am surprised just how long this film has been in everybody’s hearts. I mean, it’s been decades now, I can’t believe I’m old enough to even say that. But I think the reason is, is that it’s so human.

“It expresses all these different complicated types of love that we all long for, can experience or have identified with.”

How can I watch it in the UK?

The special aired on ABC in the US on Tuesday (29 November), after which it became available to stream on Hulu - however UK viewers might find it a bit more difficult. As it stands, there have been no details about whether the programme will be broadcast in the UK, or when it might be available to stream.

Given that Love Actually is an iconic British film, it would make sense that the special will be made available to watch in the UK at some point - hopefully over the festive season - however no specifics have been confirmed yet.

While there might not be an official way to watch Love Actually: 20 Years Later, viewers in the UK can stream the show on Hulu by using a VPN (a Virtual Private Network), which is a tool that essentially tricks websites into thinking that you’re in a different country.

Simply use your VPN of choice and connect to a US server - from there you can head over to Hulu, log in and you should be able to stream Love Actually: 20 Years Later. You’ll of course need a Hulu account in order to watch shows on the platform, but if you don’t have one already then you can take advantage of the one month free trial for new users.

Where can I watch Love Actually?

There are a few different ways you can watch Love Actually if you’re just wanting to check out the original 2003 film.

It’s available to stream for free for those with an Amazon Prime account - if you don’t have a Prime subscription, you can buy (£3.99) or rent (£3.99) the film from Amazon instead. Alternatively, you can buy the film from the Google Play store, or the Sky Store.

It’s also likely that, being a classic Christmas film, Love Actually will crop up on the festive TV schedule at some point to watch for free, if you’re in no particular rush to watch it straight away.