The Sun

Well, don’t we all look a bit silly now? After wide reporting that British tabloid ‘The Sun’ had discontinued its topless ‘Page 3 models’, the paper reintroduced the controversial feature on Thursday after having omitted it for just three days.

It now appears that the Murdoch-owned tabloid has pulled off a media stunt to increase readership and interest in its publication. Despite the paper neither confirming nor denying the end of the feature, it was widely reported by media outlets. On its front page, Thursday’s edition trailed with the pun “we’ve had a mammary lapse”.

Keeley Hazell established herself with the help of 'The Sun's 'Page 3' feature

Continue reading: 'The Sun' Restores Page 3 Girls

Britain’s top-selling daily newspaper ‘The Sun’ has seemingly dropped one of its distinguishing features – its infamous topless ‘page 3 models’. After 44 years, the feature has been discontinued, apparently in response to changing attitudes and a feminist-led campaign in opposition to it.

On weekdays, the Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid has printed bare-breasted British models on its third page for over four decades, often with incongruous and implausible speech bubbles where the models purport to give their opinions on the hot-button issues of the day. But on Monday (January 19th) the traditional ‘page 3’ wasn’t there, with readers being redirected to The Sun’s website for pictures.

Helen Flanagan was a 'Page 3 Girl' during the noughties, helping her to acting fame

Continue reading: British Paper 'The Sun' Halts Page 3 Girls Feature

Could topless models on The Sun’s Page 3 soon be a thing of the past? Quite possibly, if the Girl Guides have anything to do with it. The youth organisation has joined a campaign to end the long tradition of featuring semi-naked women on that infamous page three slot. The ‘No More Page 3’ movement is campaigning for Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper to change their ways and stop portraying women as “objects.”

In a statement, The Girl Guides movement said “The Sun is a family newspaper. Anyone can pick it up, turn to Page 3, and think it is normal for young women to be treated as objects. This is just wrong. It is impossible to nurture your ambitions if you are constantly told you aren’t the same as your male equivalent. It is disrespectful and embarrassing. We need to get used to the idea that women are not for sale.” The chief executive of the organisation, Julie Bentley, added “giving girls a voice on issues they care about is one of Girlguiding’s most important values. We are very proud that young women in Guiding are choosing to speak out and play a part in building the society they want to live in.”

The ’No More Page 3’ campaign was set up last year by Lucy Holmes, who has welcomed the support from the nationwide youth movement. They now have more than 90,000 supporters online, though The Sun’s current editor, Dominic Mohan has resisted the campaign’s message thus far. 

Continue reading: Girl Guides Back 'No More Page 3' Campaign To Halt The Sun's Topless Models