Page 3 axed: The Sun scraps its trademark pictures of topless women after 44 years

The Sun, Britain's top-selling newspaper, has made a landmark decision to eradicate Page 3's pictures of topless women after 44 years.

18:21 20 January 2015

The Sun has officially removed its pictures of topless women after 44 years. Traditionally, the newspaper featured a photograph of a topless young woman on the third page – boldly visible when the paper is first opened.

The decision was welcomed by the legion of critics who branded the photos anachronistic and offensive.

One senior executive said: “This comes from high up, from New York.”

A source said the controversial feature will still continue online. However, last Friday’s edition of the paper will be the last that would “carry an image of a glamour model with bare breasts on that page.”

On Monday, The Sun told the Guardian:  “Page 3 of The Sun is where it’s always been, between pages 2 and 4, and you can find Lucy from Warwick at Page3.com. “

Topless Page 3 models were introduced in 1970.

Sun proprietor Rupert Murdoch first gave a hint about the removal of Page 3 in February 2014. In September, he tweeted that he thought its daily diet of topless pictures was “old-fashioned.”

He continued by soliciting opinion asking his followers on Twitters: “Aren’t beautiful young women more attractive in at least some fashionable clothes? Your opinions please.”