Nokia joins forces with the BBC for a more complete iPlayer Experience

The iPlayer is already available on Apple's iPhone and iTouch, but only as a "streaming" service, which means that people can only watch the programmes if they are in a Wi-Fi or 3G area.

Under the deal, owners of the new phone, which goes on sale next month, will need an internet connection to download a programme or radio show from the catch-up service. Once stored on the phone, they will have seven days to watch it before it is automatically wiped from the phone’s memory.

The iPlayer is paid for by the licence fee, which means that it cannot be accessed outside of the UK. British holidaymakers abroad will be able to watch programmes already stored on their phones, but will be barred from accessing the service to download new shows.

Launched last year, the iPlayer has proved immensely popular. Last month, more than 20 million programmes were watched through the service.

Erik Huggers, the BBC director of future media and technology, said: "Over the past eight months we have worked tirelessly to ensure BBC iPlayer is available on as many platforms as possible, from the PC and TV to games consoles and mobiles. This partnership is critical to ensuring we continue to reach out to audiences wherever they are and allow them to catch-up on their favourite BBC programmes."