Game of Thrones season 6: When is it on and how can I watch it?

Game of Thrones season 6 is nearly upon us and after months of speculation (and harassment for Kit Harrington) we will finally find out if Jon Snow is really dead.

HBO returned to its native US for the world premiere this year (having hosted last year’s in the moat of the Tower of London), and the cast, other celebrities and revered guests got to see the season opener, The Red Woman. It took place on 10 April but hopefully, attendees will remain reasonably tight-lipped until the show airs for the rest of us, in order to avoid spoilers.

Certainly you’ll find the following completely spoiler-free (bar the trailer we include below, which you can skip if you want). We simply want to let you know when and where you can watch the first and subsequent episodes of Game of Thrones season 6 for yourself.

When does Game of Thrones season 6 start?

The first episode, The Red Woman, airs on HBO in the US at 9pm ET on 24 April. Sky has announced that it will simulcast it on Sky Atlantic, having done so with the debut of season 4 a couple of years ago.

That means UK fans can watch the show at 2am on 25 April.

For those who wouldn’t rather get some sleep and watch it the day after, Sky will also show it at 9pm on Sky Atlantic later that day.

Where can I watch Game of Thrones season 6?

Considering that each subsequent season of Game of Thrones has broken records for the amount of pirate downloads, we suspect you’ll see episodes in standard and high definition (720p and 1080p) available on torrent sites soon after they air.

However, if you rightfully refuse to head down the less salubrious stealy web route, you might be wondering where else you can see the show.

So we list several ways to do just that. And it’s all above board.

HBO, HBO Go and HBO Now

As HBO makes the show it’s only obvious that it will screen it in the US. That means it will be available on the channel’s subscription services – the main HBO channel for TV viewers, through the HBO Go apps and platforms for existing HBO subscribers, or HBO Now for those who don’t pay for the main channel.

It will screen the first episode at 9pm ET on 24 April. Naturally, all of its on demand services will then offer the show as catch-up content.

A HBO subscription is generally offered as a premium service through cable providers in the States, costing around $15 a month to add to an existing package.

HBO Go is a free service for subscribers to the TV channel.

HBO Now is an alternative for those who don’t have cable TV but still want access to the channel. It also costs around $15 a month. There are HBO Now apps for a wide array of devices, including iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV and Roku.

Sky+ and Sky Q

Sky exclusively screens HBO content in the UK, so has the rights to show Game of Thrones season 6, albeit with adverts. The US screening is ad-free.

It has announced that it will be simulcasting the show on Sky Atlantic with the first HBO screening, so you can watch it at 2am on 25 April. All following episodes will then be screened in their normal time slot of 9pm on the channel the day after the US airing.

The show airs each Sunday on HBO so will appear on Sky Atlantic on Mondays.

That means that Sky+ and Sky Q subscribers will be able to watch them live, record them (with series link) or catch up with each episode on demand, as long as they have their set-top-box connected to the internet.

A Sky+ subscription starts at £30 a month, which includes Sky Atlantic, while a Sky Q subscription starts at £44 a month.

READ: What is Sky Q, how much does it cost and how can I get it?

NOW TV

With a £6.99 a month NOW TV Entertainment Pass you can watch Sky Atlantic live alongside a range of other channels, Sky and otherwise. That means you can watch The Red Woman as part of the simulcast or it airs in its normal slot.

However, you can also watch it on demand on the service. And NOW TV catch-up is devoid of adverts, save for a few dedicated stings, so you can jump straight into a mostly uninterrupted version.

NOW TV can be viewed through a dedicated NOW TV box, available for £14.99 or £24.99 with a three month Entertainment Pass, Roku media streaming boxes or online through a browser. Apps are also available for iOS, Android, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, YouView and select LG Smart TVs. You can also use the NOW TV app on a smartphone or tablet to play the show through a Google Chromecast.

READ: New Now TV Box (2015) arrives, we get watching the latest movies, TV and sport

One additional benefit to NOW TV is, like general Sky TV, you can catch up with any of the previous series of Game of Thrones ahead of season 6’s debut.

Sky Go and Sky Q apps

Sky Go will also offer the show on catch-up (preceded by a minute of adverts) or live, and you don’t necessarily need a Sky subscription to access the app for iOS, select Android devices, PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360. Or watch it online through a PC or Mac.

Technically you can subscribe to Sky Go if you’re not an existing Sky customer. From £15 a month you can have access to the broadcaster’s entertainment channels through Sky Go, which includes Sky Atlantic, on a laptop, desktop computer, smartphone or tablet. However, at £6.99 a month, NOW TV is a better option and is available on all the same devices and more.

Where Sky Go comes into its own is if you have a parent or friend with a Sky subscription and they have no interest in registering their free Sky Go accounts on mobile devices. You could ask if they would let you use one of the device slots instead (you can register up to two devices on one account). They might even let you take up a device slot for the duration of Game of Thrones season 5 and you can deregister it after.

Alternatively, if they subscribe to Sky Go Extra or you upgrade them to Sky Go Extra for £5 a month, you can take one of four device slots.

One issue with this method is that the iPhone and iPad app won’t allow AirPlay mirroring or direct connection to get the pictures onto a TV. In this case, you really do get what you paid for.

The new Sky Q app works similarly to the above, but cannot be subscribed to separately. It is for Sky Q subscribers only.

READ: Which is the best movie streaming service in the UK? Netflix vs Amazon Prime vs Now TV and more