Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild preview – From a former tech salesman to a very different kind of French fantasy farm

Ben Fogle is back on the road tonight as he continues his fascinating journey into the lives of people who have turned their backs on conventional living in search of something altogether more meaningful. In tonight’s episode of Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild, which airs on 5 at 9pm, the intrepid presenter crosses the Channel to rural western France, where he meets a man whose extraordinary new life is a world away from the corporate career he once knew.

For Mark, the decision to abandon his international career in technology sales was not simply about wanting a change of scenery. A health issue prompted him to reassess his priorities and question whether the life he had been leading was really making him happy. Having spent a decade in India, where he immersed himself in yoga and Eastern philosophies, Mark eventually decided that it was time to put those ideas into practice and create a life on his own terms.

The result is Fantasy Farm, an ambitious project that has seen him spend the past six years transforming a derelict former pig farm into a sustainable home and a sanctuary for people looking to escape the pressures and expectations of everyday life.

Surrounded by the French countryside, Mark has set about creating a place where nature, creativity and simplicity take centre stage. His vision is to offer visitors the opportunity to step away from convention, reconnect with themselves and feel free to express who they really are.

But Fantasy Farm is not quite the conventional rural retreat that visitors might expect. Alongside gardening and sustainable living, Mark has developed an extraordinary drag boudoir, reflecting his belief that creativity, individuality and self-expression should have a place in everyday life.

When Ben arrives, he quickly discovers that there is much more to Mark’s project than simply renovating an old farm and enjoying a slower pace of life. As he gets stuck into the gardening, explores the colourful and unconventional surroundings and learns more about the plans for the property, he begins to understand the deeply personal motivations behind this unusual undertaking.

There is also an opportunity for Ben to meet members of the local community and discover how Mark is trying to establish his place within rural France. With yoga and wellness retreats forming an increasingly important part of the farm’s activities, the ambition is to create an inclusive environment where people can feel accepted, relaxed and free to be themselves.

However, turning such an ambitious vision into reality is not without its challenges. Mark has established strict rules for those staying at Fantasy Farm, and Ben is keen to discover whether these boundaries help create the peaceful, respectful environment he wants or risk making the sanctuary less accessible than originally intended.

As their conversations develop, Mark also opens up about the difficult experiences in his past that have helped shape his outlook on life. His journey towards creating Fantasy Farm has clearly been about much more than finding a picturesque place to live. It is an attempt to build something positive from his experiences and provide others with the opportunity to find a sense of belonging.

For Ben, who has spent years meeting people who have completely reinvented themselves, it is another fascinating insight into the many different ways people choose to live. But can Mark turn his extraordinary French farmhouse into the welcoming sanctuary he has always imagined, and is Fantasy Farm really capable of becoming a place where nature, creativity and community come together?

The programme has become one of Channel 5’s most enduring factual entertainment successes since first arriving on television in 2013. Over more than a decade, Ben has travelled thousands of miles, visiting extraordinary homes and communities across the world, from the remote wildernesses of Alaska and New Zealand to the deserts of Morocco, the mountains of Mongolia and the forests of Canada.

Some of the series’ most memorable journeys have taken Ben to Australia’s remote coastline, where he encountered people living almost entirely off the land, and to the swamplands of Georgia in the United States, where a former high-flying businessman had created an unconventional home surrounded by nature. He has also ventured into the Himalayan foothills of India, the jungles of Cambodia, the wilderness of Patagonia and the remote islands of the Pacific.

Closer to home, the series has proved that extraordinary new lives do not always require moving to the other side of the world. Ben has visited people who have escaped conventional living in Devon, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Yorkshire and the Scottish islands, discovering families and individuals who have swapped busy urban lives for self-sufficiency, farming, alternative communities and a closer connection with nature.

And the journeys do not always end when the cameras leave. One of the most rewarding aspects of the programme has been Ben’s return visits to previous contributors, allowing viewers to discover whether their ambitious lifestyle changes have stood the test of time. These reunions have offered a fascinating reminder that starting again is one thing, but sustaining a completely different way of life can be quite another.

The format’s longevity is perhaps no surprise. Rather than simply showcasing spectacular scenery or unusual homes, New Lives in the Wild is ultimately about people, their personal histories and the decisions that have led them to seek something different. There are stories of heartbreak, illness, family changes, personal reinvention and the desire to escape the pressures of modern society.

That emotional element has helped the series build a loyal audience, with Ben’s relaxed, curious and empathetic approach allowing his hosts to open up about their lives without the programme losing its sense of adventure. It is this combination of travel, human stories and genuine escapism that has kept viewers coming back.

The programme has also demonstrated impressive staying power, with more than 20 series and well over a decade on screen. It continues to attract strong audiences for Channel 5, with industry publicity figures previously reporting weekly viewing figures of around 1.1 to 1.4 million for the series.

Tonight’s visit to France is another reminder that there is no single blueprint for happiness. Mark’s Fantasy Farm might be an unconventional project, but at its heart is a familiar ambition: to create somewhere people can feel comfortable, accepted and connected to the world around them.

Background: The series first aired in April 2013 and has since travelled across an extraordinary range of locations, with its appeal built on intimate stories of reinvention rather than conventional travel television. Its longevity is reflected in its extensive episode history and continued popularity on Channel 5.

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