If you're sat in a pub tonight you should prepare for the best conversation you've had all week at precisely 7.52pm.

That's according to researchers who have pulled together stats and decided the best gossip is usually exchanged just before 8pm on Fridays during after-work drinks.

Their study found almost three-quarters of the population still enjoy gassing to mates and regulars over a pint.

Later on in the evening popular topics include reminiscing about times gone by, the latest developments in popular TV shows and gossiping about friends and work colleagues.

The Northern Echo: The strangest things to see happen in a pub

Recent hot topics for pub chat include Donald Trump’s US presidency, with one in three recently having a chat about him in the boozer.

One fifth have discussed the upcoming World Cup, and three in 10 have debated the latest Brexit news with pals over a pint, although two-thirds said they dread political chat more than anything else.

Greg Tatton-Brown, from Play Absurd by online casino Casumo.com, which commissioned the study to mark their coverage of some of the UK’s most absurd sports, including classic pub game ‘Toad in the Hole’, said: “Considering how much time Brits spend in the pub, it’s no surprise they’ve had lots of unusual experiences there.

“When you combine groups of friends, free-flowing drinks and a slightly out-of-the-ordinary environment, it all adds up to a place where memories flourish.

“And our research found some people really do talk about some absolutely absurd, bizarre things once they’ve had a few with friends.”

The Northern Echo:

The study also found nearly one in five adults claim they’ve been approached by a stranger in the pub and offered the chance to buy something odd.

One respondent even recalled a time in a pub when a woman approached him and gave him a bizarrely accurate palm reading.

Another pub-goer invented his own language, understood by only him and his cousin, which allowed them to talk about people right in front of them undetected.

And another got deep into a discussion with someone who was absolutely convinced the earth was flat, and it was only government conspiracies that made people believe it was round.

It also emerged more than half say they’re likely to end up talking about something 'absurd' during a night in the pub.

The research found pub chat is at its absolute best after precisely 3.3 alcoholic drinks, with lager being the poison of choice to get tongues wagging.

It also seems too many can be a crowd, as the ideal number of participants in an in-depth session of pub banter is just four.

Mr Tatton-Brown added: “There’s lots of talk about Britain’s pubs being something of an endangered species, but our research showed they’re as vibrant as ever.

“Brits love a place where they can go and cut loose a little bit, and talk about things they may not be able to during the working week, perhaps over a friendly game of pool or Toad in the Hole.

“Although our advice would be, keep your secrets to yourself – one in five Brits have revealed a secret told to them in confidence, after a night in the pub.”

MOST COMMON TOPICS DISCUSSED IN UK PUBS

1. Old memories

2. Something completely random

3. TV shows

4. Funny stories

5. Gossip

6. The news

7. Films

8. Music

9. Telling jokes

10. Football