When Max Dickins decided to propose to his girlfriend, he realised there was no one he could call on to be his best man. He quickly learned that that he wasn't the only man struggling with friendships. For decades, countless studies from across the world have confirmed that men have fewer close friends than women - and the problem gets worse the older men get. But what goes wrong? And what can men do about it? Dickins is going to find out.

His funny and charmingly candid search takes him to the doors of world-leading experts. It forces him to examine the friendships he's had over the years, and where they have foundered. And, briefly, it sends him to the website 'Rent A Friend', where he pays someone to hang out with him. But let's not dwell on that.

Max Dickins, wearing a blue blazer and a white t-shirt, sits in the corner of a pub, lonely, with a pint of beer and a packet of crisps

As featured in

As featured in

#BeTheSherpa

Radio 2 Jeremy Vine

Radio5Live Nihal

Radio 4 Women’s Hour

Want to book Max to speak about Billy No Mates?

Valentine’s Day cards (for straight men to give to straight men)