In this discussion, Max Dickins, a comedian and mental health advocate, addresses the pressing issue of male loneliness, revealing alarming statistics that liken its effects to smoking. He shares personal insights, including the lack of a best man for his wedding, and explores how men's friendships generally differ from women's. The conversation highlights the importance of activity-based bonding among men and the societal pressures that hinder emotional expression. Dickins also examines the role of modern marriage in shaping male friendships and the impact of online communities on loneliness.

Max Dickins thought he had a lot of friends… until he got engaged. When it came time to pick his best man, he stumbled into a shocking revelation: he didn’t have any male friends close enough to fill that role. This set him on a quest to understand how that happened, and to fix it. The lessons he learned about male friendship—why we need it, how to grow it, and what to do with it—just might change your life. It’s time we stopped settling for the lone wolf narrative. Find your pack, and thrive. 

Max Dickins, author, comedian, actor and presenter, joins to discuss the art of improvisation and how it can improve relationships and work. They explore the power of 'yes, and' in improvisation, embracing mistakes as opportunities for growth, applying improv in business, navigating status battles, and the importance of failure. They also touch on self-help books and understanding others.

The author and screenwriter Max Dickins was preparing to propose to his girlfriend when he came to a realisation: he didn’t have anyone he felt he could ask to be his best man. It prompted him to write the book ‘Billy No-Mates’, looking at why he didn’t have any close male friends any more, and asking if men, in general, have a friendship problem.In a special discussion in front of a live audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival, Claudia Hammond speaks to Max about his journey alongside Professor Robin Dunbar and Dr Radha Modgil.Robin Dunbar is a Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at Oxford University who’s spent decades researching friendships in humans and other primates. He’s also known for having Dunbar’s Number named after him, which suggests most of us have a limit to our social circles of around 150 people.Radha Modgil is a practicing GP and wellbeing expert whose book ‘Know Your Own Power’ looks at what advice there is for people facing difficulties as they go through life.The panel look at what psychology can teach us about friendships between men, the difference these relationships can make to our mental health, and the best way of both maintaining the friendships we have and finding ways to make new friends.Produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Dan Welsh

The US surgeon-general Vivek Murthy recently issued a report calling attention to an epidemic of loneliness and isolation; he warned that people’s lack of social connection was “as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day”. Worst affected are men: in 2021, a study by the Survey Center on American Life said the percentage of men without any close friends had jumped from 3 per cent to 15 per cent since 1990. Can the workplace help alleviate the problem? Host Isabel Berwick talks to Jonathan Black, FT columnist and director of the University of Oxford’s careers service, FT reporter and Unhedged host Ethan Wu, and Max Dickins, author of the memoir Billy No-Mates: How I Realised Men Have a Friendship Problem. Want more?The loneliness epidemic threatens our health as well as our happinessLonely bosses seek opportunity in a crisis of disconnectionFT subscriber? Sign up for the weekly Working It newsletter with one click here. We cover all things workplace and management — plus exclusive reporting on trends, tips and what’s coming next. We'd love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? What topics should we tackle? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com. Follow Isabel on LinkedInSubscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts — and do leave us a review!Presented by Isabel Berwick. Produced by Audrey Tinline and Laurence Knight. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Simon PanayiRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.