FHM: sought ‘foxy girls’ for sofa
FHM sparked fury this week when it invited female colleagues at Emap and their friends to get “pissed” and reveal their kiss and tells on the FHM sofa.
The row flared up after FHM’s celebrity assistant sent an e-mail around the company calling for female volunteers to appear in the magazine.
The e-mail opened: “Sorry for group e-mail but desperate times call for desperate measures… I’m looking for five foxy girls to be on the infamous FHM sofa this Saturday afternoon.”
Staff were told they would get their hair and make-up done by professionals, have a fantastic photo shoot, get pissed on FHM and “maybe even learn a trick or two”, but they could only apply if they were “attractive”. They were also invited to e-mail back a picture right away.
According to insiders, the request particularly irritated staff working on Emap’s more serious health titles, as it ended with the suggestion that “some nurses would be great”.
A source said staff found it odd and mildly offensive and several e-mailed back to FHM to make their feelings known. “I’ll just go and ask my contact at the Royal College of Nursing, shall I?” said one.
In response, another journalist replied: “Just for clarity, would my friends be asked questions like those in this month’s FHM? Eg, ‘Aren’t you bothered when blokes gawp at your magnificent funbags?’, ‘Have you ever caught a photographer polishing his equipment while you’re posing?’ and ‘What’s been your most moist-making experience at work?’.”
By Ruth Addicott
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
