The 2018 football World Cup is about to kick off against a backdrop of spy poisoning, alleged state-sponsored doping, threats of ultra-football hooliganism and perhaps the worst relations between Russia and the West since the Cold War.

In Frankie Goes to Russia, comedian Frankie Boyle is heading to Russia before the tournament begins to go behind the stereotypes and half-truths of Russian football and culture with his trademark provocative humour.

Over two hour-long programmes, Frankie will visit several of the host cities to see what awaits the thousands of British fans expected to make the trip to the World Cup this summer. He’ll discover the Soviet drunk tanks brought out of retirement for unruly fans and learn how to put on a full body chemical warfare suit and face-mask at a World Cup volunteer induction.

Frankie heads to the sleepy seaside town preparing to host the England team, and visits a city twinned with Glasgow, that is renowned for its football violence.

Wanting to find out how much football really means to people in Russia, Frankie risks life and limb with a daredevil motorbike football team, records a world cup rap with a hip hop artist and learns how to inflict serious bodily harm with some sabre wielding Cossacks who will be policing the World Cup stadiums.

The two-part documentary is made by ITN Productions. The director and producer is Jenny Dames. The Executive Producer for ITN Productions is Bernie Kay. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland and Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries and the BBC Commissioning Editor is Jamie Balment.

Starts Sunday, June 3, 9pm, BBC2.