Rolling Stones 'dumbfounded' at ban on Exhibitionism poster

Mark Norton's design has been changed for Londoners

Exhibitionists? Poster deemed to lewd for London

Forget the Tube strike, the biggest problem facing London Underground today is Mick Jagger’s lips.

Posters advertising the Rolling Stones’ forthcoming gallery show Exhibitionism have been banned on the Underground and at bus stops around the city for being too lewd.

The colourful image image, which show’s a woman’s crotch emblazoned with Sir Mick’s famously full lips, his tongue sticking out provocatively, is by British designer Mark Norton.

However, organisations which regulate adverts on London Underground and at bus shelters in the capital, Exterion Media and Clear Channel respectively, have said that the poster is unsuitable for display and have requested that Sir Mick’s lips are moved up closer to the woman’s belly button.

An amended version showing the lips at navel-level will go up around London on Monday - but the rest of Britain will feature the original.

The Rolling Stones said in a statement: “We are dumbfounded and perplexed at this rather silly decision. Perhaps something to do with the fact that it’s the Rolling Stones and controversy still seems to follow them everywhere.”

However, it has been several decades since one of their posters sparked outcry. The last time was in 1976 when a poster for Black & Bluewhich, which featured a trussed up Anita Russell covered in bruises, was removed from a Hollywood billboard after protests.

Exhibitionism opens at London’s Saatchi Gallery next year, with tickets on sale from tomorrow.

Buy tickets for Exhibitionism through tickets.independent.co.uk