Look out, chaps, there could be manbags at dawn – because a new breed of modern British man looks set to finally usurp the metrosexual.

Over the past year, I've helped set up the biggest ever academic study into British masculinity. Run by University College London in conjunction with the American grooming company Harry's, the study surveyed over 2,000 blokes about what makes them feel most positive about life.

And now the results are out, we can say confidently that British men in 2017 are increasingly abandoning narcissism, the perfect body and promiscuity, and instead looking for a greater depth and meaning. Substance, it seems, trumps superficiality.

Gratifyingly, we discovered that 2017 Man placed the highest value on dependability, reliability, honesty and loyalty. At the other end of the spectrum, only 7.4pc men deemed athleticism – having the perfect body – as very important, including 11.6pc of 18-29s (the most athletic). Indeed, a greater number of our youngest respondents – 14.4pc – deemed athleticism as “unimportant”.

That’s not to say 1990s beer bellies will be back with a bang anytime soon. On the contrary, physical health was deemed “very important” by 34.9pc across the board (which increased with age).

But here’s the crucial difference: today’s men aren’t utilising health primarily to look good, but rather to feel good, both physically and, crucially, mentally. This “brawn + brains” route to positivity leaves the dopey metrosexual for dust.