FHM Unveils Last-Ever Cover Featuring Holly Willoughby

I GOODBYE KISS: Following last year’s announcement that monthly men’s magazine FHM will be closing down operations across both its print and digital platforms, the magazine has unveiled its last cover, ending its 31-year-old history with its February 2016 issue.

Hitting newsstands in the U.K. today, the cover features 34-year-old television presenter Holly Willoughby blowing a good-bye kiss to the magazine’s readers.

The former model and TV presenter took to Instagram to share the photographs. “It’s the end of an era and to be part of the final issue before FHM takes its place on the big shelf in the sky, has been a real honor,” she wrote.

She has also appeared on the FHM cover in 2008. Inside she poses in a navy lace dress and high-heeled pumps and talks about how she has evolved, having had three children, since the last time she fronted the magazine.

Launched in 1985 as “For Him Magazine,” the title changed its name to FHM and went from a quarterly to a monthly publication in 1994. With a circulation of 72,180 the magazine focused on the twenty-something men’s market with international editions in 13 countries.

As reported, a Bauer spokeswoman referred to the change in young men’s media habits — continually moving towards mobile and social — as the reason behind the decision to shut down the publication.

The market had been increasingly tough for the lads’ mags, in particular as they increasingly fell foul of women’s rights campaigners and some stores even refused to carry the print copies when they were not delivered in “modesty bags.”

Bauer’s weekly men’s title Zoo magazine had also said that it will be closing operations at the same time, affecting more than 20 jobs across the two titles.