Often, print media is used to shock and surprise. Whether it’s a hard-hitting leaflet, an eye-opening poster campaign or just a simple set of stickers to highlight a cause, it can be the most impactful means of getting a point across. However, one magazine felt their latest offering had crossed a line, and quickly had a change of heart.

Time Out’s latest issue, based on its controversial “Sex in London” survey, needed a cover. One was tweeted by a designer on the project and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it was particularly risqué. Still, when the release went to print, the front cover was replaced with a blank canvas.

It was explained this week by Creative Review that illustration specialists Dutch Uncle had tweeted a “saucy” new cover, created for the magazine by illustrator Noma Bar. Featuring Elizabeth Tower – Big Ben, for those not up-to-date with the latest government policy – at the centre point to look similar to something very rude indeed, it didn’t make the final grade, instead being pushed further into the magazine.

Time Out didn’t even run the blank cover replacement directly, instead hiding it underneath a cover wrap. Time Out’s editor Tim Arthur revealed on Twitter that the original design was moved to the feature itself in order to “give it the most impact” and give readers the chance to enter a “draw-your-own-cover competition”.

Creative Review didn’t believe it for a second. “Hmm, or else someone got cold feet. The magazine is distributed at tube stations so perhaps it was felt that, despite the cover wrap, Bar’s image was just too much for the travelling public?”