Official Android applications and add-ons that use these services may well require the use of a VPN type service. When you connect to the internet, your IP address (supplied by your ISP) can be checked to see which country it is used in. This way, the BBC and ITV (for example) can block anyone outside of Britain from watching their content. A VPN sets up a connection between your device (wherever you are in the world) and a server in Britain. As far as any apps are concerned, all your internet communications are being sent to a UK-based IP address, and so media can be watched. Most of our devices come supplied with Hola and/or TunnelBear which can both be used to set up a VPN or VPN-like connection.
If you your brother used other add-ons (for example Genesis, Phoenix, Yify, NaviX etc etc) that don't check IP addresses, then as long as his internet connection in Spain was fast enough, he'd have no problems at all.