Have you ever been stuck for something to say to the person next to you at a dinner party? Ever lost for words on a long-haul flight? Or when your train is stuck in a tunnel? Then help is at hand.

Richard Herring's new book Emergency Questions: 1001 Conversation-Savers For Any Situation will come to the aid of anyone who has ever been tongue-tied.

The brilliantly inventive and hilarious book was inspired by Herring's celebrity podcasts when he would have a selection of questions to fall back on when an interview reached an awkward impasse.

Questions range from the almost serious to the utterly ludicrous. From "If you dropped your mobile phone down the portaloo on day 3 of Glastonbury Festival would you retrieve it?" to "what is your favourite oxide?" to "if you could make anything an Olympic sport what would be your best shot at winning a gold medal?"

There is also a special section of questions based on the two interviews Richard Herring did with David Mitchell for his podcast. They include "What is the most unsettling or aggressive street performer you have ever seen?" Or you can always ask people if they have ever seen a Bigfoot.

This essential book been endorsed by numerous famous names who you would think would never be lost for words. Sarah Millican says: "This book is very funny. And a social lifesaver. I'm definitely going to use it for my next awkward conversation with Richard Herring."

Dave Gorman says: "Guaranteed to get a conversation started . . . even if it ends up being a conversation about your weird taste in books."

And Bob Mortimer says "I am involved in emergency situations on a daily basis, with Richard's book I can avoid the majority turning into a crisis." 

Beyond The Joke has three copies to give away to three lucky readers. If you want to bag a copy of the most stupid yet most useful book of 2018 all you have to do is join the beyondthejoke.co.uk free newsletter mailing list. Just sign up on the homepage on the right and when you do it email [email protected] with your name and put Herring in the subject line. Closing date is midnight October 31.

The winner will be notified via email no more than 3 days after the closing date. The winner has three days to accept the prize and respond via email, otherwise a new winner will be chosen at random. The competition open to UK residents only.

Click here for full BTJ terms & conditions.

If you can't wait or you don't win you can always buy a copy of Emergency Questions right now here.

Competition now closed and the winners have been informed.