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Coronavirus: Playboy pulls the plug on iconic magazine after coronavirus kills off plunging sales

The coronavirus outbreak has proved too much for an international icon but it’s not goodbye completely.
Coronavirus has claimed the life of an iconic institution. Picture: Jim Watson / AFPSource:AFP

Coronavirus has claimed the life of an iconic institution. Picture: Jim Watson / AFPSource:AFP

Playboy is shutting down its iconic men's magazine after falling victim to the spread of the coronavirus.

The much-loved company – founded by Hugh Hefner 66 years ago – revealed it will no longer release a regular print edition, reports The Sun.

CEO of Playboy Enterprises, Ben Kohn, said the struggling magazine was eventually killed off by the virus.

In an open letter he said the “pandemic” had been disrupting both “content production and the supply chain”.

He added: “We will move to a digital-first publishing schedule for all of our content including the Playboy Interview, 20Q, the Playboy Adviser and of course our Playmate pictorials.

RELATED: Follow more coronavirus pandemic updates and news from around the world

“It’s no surprise that media consumption habits have been changing for some time … our content in its printed form reaches the hands of only a fraction of our fans.
 

<i>Playboy</i> magazine will no longer be available as a print publication. Picture: Supplied
Playboy magazine will no longer be available as a print publication. Picture: SuppliedSource:Facebook

 

“We have decided that our Spring 2020 Issue, which arrives on US newsstands and as a digital download this week, will be our final printed publication for the year in the US.”

However, Kohn added from next year 2021 there will still be “print offerings” such as special collector editions.

Sales of the magazine were already on the decline prior to the outbreak partially down to the availability online porn.

It was still being published monthly as recently as 2017, but was recently scaled back to a quarterly mag without ads.
 

Over the years, cover stars have include screen greats like Marilyn Monroe (pictured). Picture: Supplied
Over the years, cover stars have include screen greats like
Marilyn Monroe (pictured). Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied

 

 
Even Madonna (pictured) stepped up to make an appearance in the magazine. Picture: Supplied
Even Madonna (pictured) stepped up to make
an appearance in the magazine.
Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied

 

In its heyday in the 1970s, the magazine had a circulation of more than seven million across the world.

More recently, Madonna, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Pamela Anderson, Kim Kardashian and Carmen Electra have gone on to be Playboy cover models.

Since being founded in 1953, Playboy has become a global brand with TV shows, merchandise, resorts, clubs, and even a record label.

The first issue – featuring a photo of Marilyn Monroe in the buff – was a smash hit, selling more than 50,000 copies.
 

Supermodel Kate Moss (pictured) rocking a Playboy bunny suit like no other. Pictured: Supplied
Supermodel Kate Moss (pictured) rocking a Playboy
bunny suit like no other. Pictured: SuppliedSource:Supplied

 

 
Pamela Anderson (pictured) striking a daring pose for her cover. Picture: Supplied
Pamela Anderson (pictured) striking a daring
pose for her cover. Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied

 

The magazine, famous for its iconic covers ,went from strength to strength in the 1960s and 70s, becoming a household name and catapulting Hefner to fame.

His parties at the Playboy mansion and his antics with the models that live there with him became the stuff of legend.

By his own account, Hefner had sex with more than a thousand women, including many of those pictured in his magazine, after the collapse of his marriage.

But he wasn’t always the party animal in a silk smoking jacket the public knew in his later years.
 

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner’s wild antics at his famed Playboy mansion has become the stuff of legend. Picture: Supplied
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner’s wild antics at his famed Playboy
mansion has become the stuff of legend.
Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied

 

The man behind the glossy girly magazine was a shy, geeky intellectual who was a virgin until the age of 22 and married his university sweetheart.

Hefner died of natural causes at the Playboy Mansion on September 27 2017.

Paying tribute, the firm behind the magazine described Hefner as “the American icon who in 1953 introduced the world to Playboy magazine and built the company into one of the most recognisable American global brands in history”.

This article originally appeared on Fox News and was reproduced with permission

Source: News Corp Australia Network:

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