Loaded Magazine Re-Launches as Digital Platform
On May 15, 2023, the iconic lads' magazine Loaded re-launched as a digital platform after a nine-year hiatus. The platform, located at www.loadedworld.com, aims to capture the tone that turned it into one of Britain’s biggest and bestselling magazines in the 1990s. The digital version maintains its original style, featuring straight talk and epic experiences for its audience.
Loaded, known for its coverage of music, sport, and features on scantily-clad women, initially launched in 1994. In homage to its first issue, the re-launch includes a 30th-anniversary spread with original cover girl Elizabeth Hurley. The 58-year-old actress is promoting her new film, "Strictly Confidential," and posed topless for the accompanying video on a double bed.
The publication enjoyed significant success during its heyday, with a six-figure readership, but eventually closed its print edition on March 26, 2015. Loaded's final issue featured Noel Gallagher and novelist Irvine Welsh on the cover. Deputy Editor Lia Nicholls announced its closure on Twitter, highlighting the magazine's journey from its first to last print editions.
Despite previous controversies and fluctuating circulation figures, dropping from over 500,000 in 1998 to about 35,000 in 2011, the magazine aims to reclaim its past popularity with the new digital venture. The re-launch promises to cater to those who resist conforming to modern masculine stereotypes while celebrating the raw and unapologetic essence of the magazine's earlier years.