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Playboy magazine is bringing naked models back to its pages just over a year after promising to ban nudity for good.

The iconic lifestyle magazine announced the end of naked models in 2015 in a bid to broaden its readership and attract more advertisers.

But the publication revealed its March 2017 issue on Monday, featuring topless model Elizabeth Elam and the headline “Naked is normal”.

It comes four months after Cooper Hefner, the son of founder Hugh Hefner, took over as Playboy’s chief creative officer.

He was reportedly opposed to the nudity ban, which was celebrated by women’s right activists.

Iconic Playboy Magazine Covers 22 show all Iconic Playboy Magazine Covers 1/22 Kate Moss The supermodel starred on the cover in February 2014 to celebrate the magazine's 60th anniversary PA 2/22 Cindy Crawford The supermodel graced the cover in 1998 Playboy 3/22 Darine Stern Not only the first black Playmate to feature in the magazine, Stern also hosted the October 1971 cover PA 4/22 Kim Kardashian The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star covered the magazine in December 2007 Playboy 5/22 Pamela Anderson The actress starred on the magazine cover in January 2016 PA 6/22 Marilyn Monroe The magazine's debut issue PA 7/22 Farrah Fawcett The four-time Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee covered the magazine in 1978 Playboy 8/22 Hope Dworaczyk and Seth Rogan The pair covered the April 2009 issye PA 9/22 Donna Michelle The American actress and photographer starred on the cover's May 1964 issue PA 10/22 Anna Nicole Smith The model, actress and television personality on the cover in June 1993 PA 11/22 Pamela Anderson The Baywatch star covered the October 1989 issue PA 12/22 Mariah Carey The singer posed for the magazine in March 2007 Playboy 13/22 Jenny McCarthy The actress and television host covered the magazine in January 2005 PA 14/22 Dolly Parton The country queen featured in October 1978 Playboy 15/22 Drew Barrymore The actress posed for Playboy in January 1995 16/22 Madonna The musician featured soon after she became a global superstar in September 1985 Playboy 17/22 'The Indulgence Issue' No model graced the cover in November 2013 PA 18/22 Janet Pilgrim The model graced the cover in July 1955 PA 19/22 Hedy Scott The Belgian-American actress graced the magazine's cover in June 1965 PA 20/22 Barbara Klein The model and recording artist made her first appearance on the magazine's cover in July 1969 PA 21/22 Bo Derek The American actress and movie producer starred on the cover in March 1980 Playboy 22/22 Gale Olson The star was Playboy's Playmate of the month for its August 1968 issue Playboy 1/22 Kate Moss The supermodel starred on the cover in February 2014 to celebrate the magazine's 60th anniversary PA 2/22 Cindy Crawford The supermodel graced the cover in 1998 Playboy 3/22 Darine Stern Not only the first black Playmate to feature in the magazine, Stern also hosted the October 1971 cover PA 4/22 Kim Kardashian The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star covered the magazine in December 2007 Playboy 5/22 Pamela Anderson The actress starred on the magazine cover in January 2016 PA 6/22 Marilyn Monroe The magazine's debut issue PA 7/22 Farrah Fawcett The four-time Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee covered the magazine in 1978 Playboy 8/22 Hope Dworaczyk and Seth Rogan The pair covered the April 2009 issye PA 9/22 Donna Michelle The American actress and photographer starred on the cover's May 1964 issue PA 10/22 Anna Nicole Smith The model, actress and television personality on the cover in June 1993 PA 11/22 Pamela Anderson The Baywatch star covered the October 1989 issue PA 12/22 Mariah Carey The singer posed for the magazine in March 2007 Playboy 13/22 Jenny McCarthy The actress and television host covered the magazine in January 2005 PA 14/22 Dolly Parton The country queen featured in October 1978 Playboy 15/22 Drew Barrymore The actress posed for Playboy in January 1995 16/22 Madonna The musician featured soon after she became a global superstar in September 1985 Playboy 17/22 'The Indulgence Issue' No model graced the cover in November 2013 PA 18/22 Janet Pilgrim The model graced the cover in July 1955 PA 19/22 Hedy Scott The Belgian-American actress graced the magazine's cover in June 1965 PA 20/22 Barbara Klein The model and recording artist made her first appearance on the magazine's cover in July 1969 PA 21/22 Bo Derek The American actress and movie producer starred on the cover in March 1980 Playboy 22/22 Gale Olson The star was Playboy's Playmate of the month for its August 1968 issue Playboy

Mr Hefner wrote on Twitter on Monday: “I’ll be the first to admit the way in which the magazine portrayed nudity was dated, but removing it entirely was a mistake.

“Nudity was never the problem, because nudity isn’t a problem. Today, we’re taking our identity back and rediscovering who we are.”

The magazine’s Playboy philosophy column, last printed in 1960, is also making a return.

Playboy’s circulation was reportedly around 700,000 per issue last year, a far cry from its record 7.2 million in November 1972.