Greg Gutfeld has left Maxim after the publisher decided not to renew his contract.
The outspoken American editor was on a two-year deal which was due to run out in May. He has left with immediate effect.
The company stressed he was not being blamed for the magazine’s poor ABC performance (it dropped 18.7 per cent year on year to 190,438), but said it was time for fresh thinking.
Gutfeld said: "I am leaving Maxim UK effective May 24. I was asked to come to Maxim to re-invent it, to give it a voice and make it an innovative read in a dull market. I did that. But if I have to look at Jennifer Ellison’s breasts one more time, I will have a seizure.
"Maxim is in great shape, which is more than I can say for the men’s market generally, or for myself personally. I have put on 20 pounds."
Gutfeld said he planned to stay in London "for the time being" and write a book.
He added: "I have been fortunate enough throughout my career to be surrounded by funny, smart people, and never more so than at Maxim UK. I leave with fond memories, an embarrassing photo of Felix [Dennis] without his pants on and a new mp3 player."
An acting editor will be announced next week when the search for a new editor begins. The positioning of the magazine would not change, the company said.
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