Pam and Tommy—is it a true story and how to watch this scandalous biographic drama from anywhere in the world

How to watch Pam & Tommy is the question on so many people’s minds right now after the new biographical drama started making waves with it’s first three episodes. 

Based on the whirlwind romance, marriage and devastating sex tape scandal surrounding Baywatch star Pamela Anderson and Mötley Crüe’s drummer, Tommy Lee. Actor Lily James’s Pamela Anderson transformation drove fans wild with excitement last year and the Downton Abbey star has previously revealed the tough workout routine that went into it. Now viewers can finally see her portrayal of Pamela for themselves as the next two months promise to chart all of the massive highs and lows of one of the actor’s most challenging times.

If you’re wondering how to watch Pam & Tommy and whether it’s all a true story, we reveal all you need to know ahead of the next intense instalment…

How to watch Pam & Tommy in the US

Anyone frantically wondering how to watch Pam & Tommy in the United States now the highly-anticipated show has finally landed, Hulu is the place to head. The first episode of Pam & Tommy landed on Wednesday February 2nd and there’s plenty more for fans to catch up on as it was swiftly followed by the next two instalments, all made available to stream from 12:01 the same day. 

Sadly if you’re already hooked by the on-screen drama and, let’s face it, some pretty stand-out performances from Downton Abbey’s Lily James and Sebastian Stan as the titular couple, now’s the time to be patient. Each of the remaining eight episodes will be released every Wednesday, giving fans something to look forward to every week for the whole of February and into March.

If you already have a Hulu subscription, then things just got a whole lot easier for you to enjoy this binge-able show, but if not, this starts from $5.99 a month. You can also get a free trial for one month before you sign-up to see if Hulu's the streaming platform of your dreams.

Now you know how to watch Pam & Tommy, as you wait for Hulu to release the next episode, why not also check out The Handmaid’s Tale season 4? And if it’s chills and thrills you’re looking for then Nicole Kidman’s Nine Perfect Strangers is a suspenseful watch sure to keep you hooked this winter. 

How to watch Pam & Tommy anywhere else in the world 

For viewers living elsewhere when it comes to how to watch Pam & Tommy, it’s Disney Plus that’s got the goods. Just like in the US, the first three Pam & Tommy episodes have already been released, landing at 8am GMT, 12am PT and 3am ET, and the remaining ones will land on a weekly basis at the same time and day. 

Disney Plus is widely available throughout the world, but if you happen to be abroad when Pam & Tommy is released and it’s not accessible where you are, you might have to turn to a VPN to continue watching this biographical drama. This is a handy bit of software that changes your IP address so that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home. 

Our sister site, TechRadar, has tested all of the major VPN services and they rate ExpressVPN as the absolute best. They say, “It’s compatible with all of your devices, supports most streaming services, and ranks among the fastest. You can even install it on devices like an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, and PlayStation. So for a one-stop-shop, you can’t go wrong with Express.”

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Ranked among one of the fastest VPN providers, this risk-free service is also compatible with all of your devices. Enjoy access to almost any streaming service, and if you don't like it there's a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you've never installed a VPN before, don't worry, it's quick and easy. Just follow these three steps:

1. Download and install the VPN following ExpressVPN's easy-to-follow instructions.
2. Once you've installed your VPN, open the app and select your server location as anywhere in the UK.
3. With your VPN installed and server location set to US you can now watch Pam & Tommy online. 

Is Pam & Tommy a true story? 

If you’ve yet to be immersed in the world of this conversation-starting miniseries you might be wondering the ultimate question—is Pam & Tommy a true story? And as all Pamela Anderson fans already know, the answer is of course yes. Though certain aspects will have no doubt been tweaked in the name of dramatic impact, Pam & Tommy is a biographical drama and more specifically, it’s understood to have been inspired by a 2014 Rolling Stone story about their sex tape scandal. Pam & Tommy also charts the media frenzy following the release of this unauthorized sex tape and the impact this had upon the couple themselves. 

Shot during their private honeymoon, the sex tape was never meant to be seen by anyone else, but after being stolen from their luxurious California home, it wasn’t long before it was being seen all across the country and world. According to Radio Times, electrician Rand Gauthier was left resentful after being sacked for poor quality work and allegedly being threatened by Tommy when he attempted to retrieve his tools.

Plotting his revenge, Gauthier planned to steal the safe in the stars’ mansion and in an astonishing turn of events actually pulled off this heist. Whilst most burglars wouldn’t typically go for an entire safe, Gauthier got more than he bargained for when he finally cracked it open. 

Alongside staggeringly expensive jewelry and watches was a cassette tape and the thief is understood to have brought it to the attention of Milton Ingley, a porn studio boss. 

Eventually Pamela and Tommy’s sex tape was distributed for money to the public and via the internet began to amass hundreds of views. Upon discovering the loss of their safe and the subsequent release, it wasn’t long before the couple took action.

They are said to have filed a $10 million civil lawsuit against everyone they believed bought the tape and named both Gauthier and Ingley. Unfortunately for Pamela and Tommy, the damage was already done and theirs became one of the earliest examples of a viral video.

The Baywatch star hasn’t publicly addressed the adaptation of her life and this heartbreaking scandal in the Hulu show, nor is it thought that she have the show her blessing or permission. 

However Pam & Tommy’s director Craig Gillespie has revealed to EW how the team behind the miniseries were trying to “change the narrative” around the “atrocities” that happened to her and Tommy. 

"I felt, for us, what we're trying to do is really change the narrative and your perspective of what happened,” he said. “And this felt like such an opportunity to do that and to be able to look at the story through today's lens and the outrageousness and just the atrocities that happened. I felt that hopefully, it would change people's point of view on that. So everybody tried to focus on that."

How long were Pam and Tommy together?

From the moment the drama landed on Hulu and Disney Plus, fans have been wondering how long Pam and Tommy were together. After meeting in late December 1994 and married within a few weeks in a classic case of whirlwind romance. Pamela and Tommy became proud parents to two sons, Brandon and Dylan, before they divorced in 1998. Very sadly, theirs is a romance that ended up taking a darker turn. 

As reported by Us Weekly, the rock star was arrested after being accused of assaulting Pamela. He was sentenced to six months in jail after pleading no contest. Since then Pamela has gone on to marry several times more, to musician Kid Rock, poker player Rick Salomon and most recently to bodyguard Dan Hayhurst.