50 Shades of Grey: 30 things you didn’t know

50 Shades of Grey

(Image credit: PA)

published 9 November 2012

Been seduced by Fifty Shades? Then you’ll want to click on to find out why it’s being used as toilet paper and what sort of baby clothing line it’s inspired, plus many more fun, silly and saucy facts

50 Shades of Grey

One of the book's most high-profile fans is Oprah Winfrey who has no qualms in admitting why she loves it. She said: 'I have downloaded all the Fifty Shades of Grey novels and for the first time I can take some guilty pleasure and just read. But I'm thinking, stop with the story, get to the juicy part.' Glad we're all on the same page then...

50 Shades of Grey

Fifty Shades Freed is not the end of Christian Grey, not by a long stretch. E.L James is working on another book and jokingly dubbed her writing her 'mid life crisis at large.' It's clearly a crisis that pays!

50 Shades of Grey

Abuse charity Wearside Women in Need in Washington are so disgusted by the book that they requested people donate their copies to be burned. Only 24 books were sent to them so they've decided to use them as toilet paper instead. As you do.

50 Shades of Grey

If you're already missing Fifty Shades after completing the trilogy you can fill the void at E.L James' website. On there you'll find photos of the landmarks mentioned in the book as well as Escala, Christian's home. That way we can all dream of staying the night there.

50 Shades of Grey

Fellow British writer, JK Rowling refuses to read Fifty Shades of Grey. She recently revealed she'd gone as far as to promise her editor she wouldn't read it. And when asked if she feels left out of the current literary storm the Harry Potter author said: 'Not wildly.'

50 Shades of Grey

There are even wine tasting nights base on the books. Tyson's Fine Wine and Things in Anniston America hosts regular wine tasting nights featuring drinks mentioned in the books including Sancerre, a favorite of Christian Grey's.

50 Shades of Grey

While it started as Twilight fan fiction, Olly Murs still believes it was inspired by his pop star life. The singer jokingly told Marie Claire: 'I've read parts of Fifty Shades of Grey, I think it was based on me in some aspects of it.'

50 Shades of Grey

It's even inspired a line of baby clothes. Although it's not what you think, there are no handcuffs or leather nappies. Instead the range of bibs, bonnets and baby grows feature funny slogans including: 'I'm a product of 50 Shades of Grey,' 'I'm the result of my Mommy reading Fifty Shades of Grey,' and '9 months ago my mommy read Fifty Shades of Grey.'

50 Shades of Grey

A burger has been created in the book's honour, it's called the 15 Shades of Bacon burger and is available at the Custom House, Barnstaple. It's designed so that men can take a bite out of the trend and features 15 different types of bacon-related foods. Yep there's bacon infused cream cheese, bacon-dusted chips and a bacon flavoured mayonnaise. Who's up for a taste?

50 Shades of Grey

The books have even inspired a special Family Guy trailer, called 50 Shades of Peter Griffin. It compiles the funniest saucy clips from the show and pays homage to the iconic books.

50 Shades of Grey

The books may have been snubbed by critics but E.L James has been listed as one of the most influential people in the world.

50 Shades of Grey

While the Bible is still the biggest selling book in the world, the owner of the Damson Dene Hotel opted to replace Bibles in the rooms for copies of 50 Shades of Grey, as he thought they would be more popular with guests.

50 Shades of Grey

Twilight writing sensation Stephanie Meyer has snubbed the books, saying: 'It's not my kind of book - not my thing'. But she did praise E.L James adding: 'Anytime somebody is out there being creative, that's great.'

50 Shades of Grey

While its saucy tales of seduction may tantalize every type of reader, buyers of 50 Shades are predominantly middle-aged women.

50 Shades of Grey

It's been slammed for suggesting stereotypes of submissives. Sophie Morgan, author of The Diary of a Submissive, says: 'The book has done little to remove the misconception that submissives are doormats or throwbacks to a pre-feminist age, and as someone who self-defines as 'submissive' that makes me grumpy.'

50 Shades of Grey

Critics may not be too keen on the tome, but academics think otherwise! Debby Herbenick, a research scientist at Indiana University, praised the book saying: 'Fifty Shades is getting a lot of people thinking and talking more openly about sex, sexuality, desire and interest. It's helping many women to feel comfortable enjoying something about sexual fantasy and arousal.'

50 Shades of Grey

Universal Pictures hasn't announced the cast for the Fifty Shades of Grey movie but they've lined up Kelly Marcel to write the screenplay. Kelly was formerly an actress and had minor roles in Casualty and The Bill.

50 Shades of Grey

The 50 Shades trilogy has sold an incredible 31 million copies worldwide and has overtaken Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and The Da Vinci Code as the best selling books in Britain.

50 Shades of Grey

E.L James' website includes playlists of the songs that helped stimulate her sex scenes. Every book in the trilogy has its own playlist and includes Britney Spears' Toxic, Frank Sinatra's Witchcraft and Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire.

50 Shades of Grey

E.L James has never been to Seattle or Portland, where 50 Shades is set. Instead, she used Google Street View to picture what her setting was really like.

50 Shades of Grey

According to experts, the books are more powerful than porn! Psychotherapist Rachel Morris said: 'Women can let themselves be turned on by written erotica in a way they often can't with visual porn. If the heroine we identify with is both willing and in control, it allows us to imagine making the same choices and enjoying it, even if we'd run a mile in real life.'

50 Shades of Grey

Rope sales have increased thanks to bondage scenes in the book. A hardware store owner in Pennsylvania reported a surge in sales of cotton rope when the most common form of rope was previously bungee cords and clotheslines.

50 Shades of Grey

From penning just three novels, E.L James now rakes in an estimated £119,500 a day!

50 Shades of Grey

E.L James' real name is Erika Mitchell.

50 Shades of Grey

The books have a number of celebrity fans with One Direction star Harry Styles also jumping on the trend. He even revealed he's used the books to pick up bedroom tips, saying: 'I feel like it's an educational and interesting read.'

50 Shades of Grey

Sexy by Black Eyed Peas helped inspire E.L James to write some of the saucy scenes in her novels. She said: 'I have songs that I write sex to. One of them is the Black Eyed Peas' Sexy. That is a very sexy song.'

50 Shades of Grey

The book may have revolutionized the publishing industry but it's also been giving a helping hand to sales of sex toys. Sales of love beads have increased by 400 per cent after Anastasia enjoyed their effects in the book.

THE DAY I TRIED OUT JIGGLE BALLS

SALES OF JIGGLE BALLS SOAR THANKS TO FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

50 Shades of Grey

The money keeps rolling in for the book?s writer E.L James, for every paperback sold she takes seven per cent of the price, and for every ebook sold she makes £1.56 in royalties.

50 Shades of Grey

The rights to the 50 Shades of Grey movie were bought for a reported £3 million by Universal/Focus pictures.

50 SHADES OF GREY MOVIE CAST CONTENDERS

50 Shades of Grey

According to one poll, a staggering 44 per cent of women prefer reading Fifty Shades of Grey to actually having sex.

50 SHADES OF GREY MOVIE CAST CONTENDERS

MORE FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

50 Shades movie cast contenders

50 Shades movie cast contenders

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