Britain is the nation of the indiscreet chatterbox who offers 'too much information' about their private life

Britain is a nation of indiscreet chatterboxes who offer 'too much information' about their private lives to friends and colleagues, a poll has found.

A fifth of people are on the receiving end of confessions they would prefer not to have heard.

Offering too much information – known as TMI – often happens at work, with one in five saying they are exposed to unwelcome details about the health, finance and sex lives of colleagues every day.

Women struggle with it more, with 29 per cent wishing they could close their ears compared to just 10 per cent of men. 

People from Norwich appear to be the biggest culprits with 40 per cent saying they are exposed to TMI daily compared to just 13 per cent in Manchester.

Those from Sheffield are the second biggest blabbermouths with 33 per cent admitting they are subjected to TMI daily. London and Glasgow are joint eleventh on 15 per cent.

Younger people find it the most irritating, with 27 per cent of Generation Z – those aged 18 to 24 – wishing they hadn't heard it.

That compares with 22 per cent of Millennials – adults aged 25 to 39 – and 18 per cent of Generation X – those aged 40 to 55.

Older people encounter TMI the least with just 9 per cent of Baby Boomers – aged 55 and over – encountering the problem. 

Researchers found it is one of the most irritating behaviours along with unwanted gossiping, flirting, swearing and hugging.

The job platform Indeed asked 1,000 adults and 500 employers what irritates them most at work.

A fifth of workers also claimed that they choose to work from home in order to avoid annoying office behaviours.