Spoilers incoming!
The problem with dramas based on books based on historical events is that the spoilers are never too far away, particularly when it comes to the big stuff. And so it is with the "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale (aka "Wolf Hall" season 2 episode 6). Thomas Cromwell is in the Tower. It's 1540. Without laboring the point, it will be something of a shock if he manages to escape and live happily ever after.
Here's how to watch the "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale online from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for FREE.
The "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale (season 2 episode 6) airs on Sunday, December 15 on BBC One at 9.p.m. GMT (4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT).
• WATCH FREE — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
However, in the hands of Mark Rylance (as Cromwell) we are still left with nuance and interpretation to keep us captivated. There is an episode-by-episode guide below if you need to recap the whole season but the situation, in a nutshell, is that his luck has run out and he is up to his neck – at this stage unsevered – in trouble.
With Jane Seymour out of the way, Cromwell has displeased Henry VIII by playing a prominent role in setting up his next marriage to the reputedly unattractive Anne of Cleves (Cromwell was thinking about the bigger picture politically, the royal – as ever – was thinking about the zero attraction he felt towards his Rhenish bride).
The King fails to consummate the marriage and tells Cromwell who foolishly lets the information leak. Big mistake. He is soon stripped of his titles and brought to the Tower of London on a charge of treason. After years of instigating intrigue, there is no shortage of enemies happy to see him pay.
Read on to find out how to watch the "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale online, on TV and from anywhere.
How to watch the "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale for FREE in the U.K.
How to watch the 'Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light' finale from abroad
Thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), the "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale should be available to Brits no matter where they are. The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you find yourself. Our favorite is NordVPN.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple, just follow these steps.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're away from the U.K. and want to view a U.K. service like iPlayer, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and watch the show. Head to BBC iPlayer to watch the "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale online and on-demand.
How to watch the 'Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light' finale around the world
How to watch the "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale in the United States
The "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale will be available stream in the U.S. next year on PBS Masterpiece from Sunday, March 23, 2025 at 9 p.m ET/ 6 p.m. ET.
However, if you are a Brit in the States for work or on vacation and want to watch the show when it comes out in the U.K., you can catch the show for free by using a VPN such as NordVPN, choosing U.K. from the list and heading to BBC iPlayer.
How to watch the "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale online in the U.K.
If you live in the U.K. then you can catch the "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" finale on Sunday, December 15 on BBC One at 9.p.m. GMT (4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT). It's also available to stream for FREE on BBC iPlayer live and on demand. You'll need a valid TV license, naturally.
If you're not currently in the U.K., you can still catch the show by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN, to help you access your usual services.
Can I watch "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" in Canada?
There are currently no plans to air "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" in Canada but if you are a Brit in the Great White North for work or on vacation you can catch the show on your usual domestic streaming service by using a VPN. We recommend NordVPN.
Can I watch "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" in Australia?
"Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" will be coming to BBC First in Australia (release date TBA) but if you are a Brit working or on vacation Down Under and just can't wait to catch the show you can do this by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Can I watch "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" in New Zealand?
As with Australia, "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" will be coming to BBC First in New Zealand but we don't know the release date yet.
However, if you're a Brit traveling in NZ and don't want to miss the show, you can still access iPlayer with the help of a VPN such as NordVPN. Full instructions above.
'Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light' cast
- Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell
- Damian Lewis as King Henry VIII of England
- Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey
- Kate Phillips as Jane Seymour, Queen of England
- Lilit Lesser as The Lady Mary
- Dame Harriet Walter as Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury
- Harry Melling as Thomas Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton
- Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Rafe Saddler
- Timothy Spall as Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk
- Alex Jennings as Bishop Stephen Gardiner
- Charlie Rowe as Gregory Cromwell
- Lydia Leonard as Lady Jane Rochford
- Joss Porter as Richard Cromwell
- James Larkin as Master Treasurer Fitzwilliam
- Richard Dillane as Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk
- Will Keen as Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Hannah Steele as Mary Shelton
- Paul Clayton as Sir William Kingston
- Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Bess Oughtred
- Corentin Fila as Christophe
- Tom Mothersdale as Richard Riche
- Karim Kadjar as Eustache Chapuys
- Lucy Russell as Lady Anne Shelton
- Will Tudor as Edward Seymour
- Viola Prettejohn as Mary Fitzroy
- Thomas Arnold as Hans Holbein
- Jordan Kouamé as Martin The Gaoler
- Agnes O’Casey as Lady Margaret Douglas
- Cecilia Appiah as Nan Seymour
- Ellie de Lange as Jenneke
- Hubert Burton as Thomas Howard the Lesser
- Pip Carter as Sir Geoffrey Pole
- Josef Altin as Thomas Avery
- Sarah Priddy as Lady Margery Seymour
- Hannah Khalique-Brown as Dorothea
- Amir El-Masry as Thomas Wyatt
- Didier Vinson as Castillon
- German Segal as Olisleger
- Summer Richards as Catherine Howard
- Dana Herfurth as Anne of Cleves, Queen of England
'Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light' Episode guide and recap
Episode 1: Wreckage - "The Mirror and the Light" opens after Anne Boleyn’s death. Thomas Cromwell has taken up his position as principal councillor to an unpredictable king and is at the height of his powers. Appointed Master Secretary and Lord Privy Seal after smoothing the path for the king’s marriage to his third wife, Jane Seymour, there are few parts of the state’s business that do not pass over Cromwell's desk. However, he has also attracted powerful enemies.
Episode 2: Obedience - Cromwell is secure as Henry’s principal adviser but, his foremost enemy, The Duke of Norfolk, England’s most senior nobleman by rank, has been tainted by the treasonous behavior of his niece, Anne Boleyn. So when Cromwell uncovers a clandestine affair between Norfolk’s brother and the King’s niece, an opportunity opens up to destroy Norfolk for good. But does Cromwell strike?
Episode 3: Defiance - Cromwell’s visit to Shaftesbury Abbey has undone him. His confidence in himself and in his decisions past and present has been shaken to the core, and he is no longer able to summon up the memory of his most beloved master, Cardinal Wolsey, to help him navigate the perilous shadows of Henry's court.
Episode 4: Jenneke - The court of King Henry is on the brink of a new era. Henry and Jane are expecting a child, and for the third time in his life, the king allows himself to imagine a legitimate heir. The war in the north is over, the rebels are stilled, and the Lady Mary is back at court and out of reach of Henry’s enemies. England is cautiously hopeful. But joy at the birth of the young prince in the autumn of 1538 is short-lived, for Edward is only twelve days old when his mother Jane dies in the complications of childbirth, and Henry’s court is plunged into mourning.
Episode 5: Mirror - Cromwell’s marital diplomacy brings Princess Anne of Cleves to Henry’s court. Will the alliance create a Protestant superpower in northern Europe, or has Cromwell’s luck run out?
Episode 6: Light (season finale) - Cromwell is stripped of his titles and brought to the Tower of London on a charge of treason. He has no friends to speak for him but plenty of enemies among his prosecutors.
'Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light' finale FAQ
Will there/can there be a season 3 of Wolf Hall?
Highly unlikely. "The Mirror and the Light" is the final novel in Hilary Mantel's multi award-winning trilogy, the series of books from which the TV programme is adapted.
Where was "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" filmed?
Among other locations, major scenes were filmed at Wells Cathedral in Somerset, Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire and Cardiff Castle in Wales.
What else can I watch on BBC iPlayer?
Lots – including "Ludwig", "I Kissed a Girl", "The Assembly", "This Town", "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth", "The Reckoning", "Navalny" and "The Stones and Brian Jones".
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