For generations, the French Foreign Legion has been romanticised as a refuge for men seeking a second chance in life. But what is it really like? In Escape to the Legion, adventurer and explorer Bear Grylls sets off to find out with 11 other recruits who come from all walks of life.

A disorderly band of men arrive at an ex-Legion fort in the Sahara Desert to attempt a month’s brutal training that promises to turn them in honorary members of the world’s toughest fighting force. Their journey will reveal as much about the men themselves as it does about the Foreign Legion.

Find out where Bear Grylls got his inspiration from, hear from the recruits in their own words, and read what a psychologist has to say about their teamwork. If after all this you’re still tempted to seek out a new life with the Legion, you can read up on their background and make sure you are properly prepared before you go.