Virgin Atlantic to offer 'naughty novel' Fifty Shades of Grey as audio book

London, July 16 (ANI): Fifty Shades of Grey has become a top-selling e-book - as millions of devotees chose to download the erotic hit to spare their blushes- and now it will be taking to the skies.

Virgin Atlantic is planning on an audio version of the book, which is the tale of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, as part of its inflight entertainment.

As passengers cross the Atlantic, they will be able to listen to the exploits of the naive university graduate who falls for a handsome young billionaire and bondage enthusiast - and the airline has already said it "can't be held responsible for any risque behaviour" that listening to the book inspires.

Fifty Shades of Grey was only released in June - but has now sold more than 20 million copies around the world.

Publishers Vintage Books have been forced ordered 17 reprints in the UK since the book came out and the novel, the first in a trilogy, became the first to sell more than one million copies on the Kindle e-reader.

Its success has turned writer EL Leonard into a multi-millionaire overnight and the film rights have been snapped up for 3 million pounds by Universal Pictures and Focus Features.

Now, Virgin Atlantic plans to make Fifty Shades of Grey available via JAM, the airline's new inflight entertainment system.

"Fifty Shades of Grey has quickly gained notoriety as a 'naughty novel' leaving some women embarrassed reading their copy in a public space," the Daily Mail quoted Virgin Atlantic's head of PR Fay Burgin as saying.

"We want to give our female passengers the chance to enjoy the book in an intimate way, away from prying eyes. Of course, we can't promise to spare any blushes and can't be held responsible for any risque behaviour that listening to the recording inspires," Burgin stated.

Earlier this month, author EL Leonard - real name Erika Leonard - admitted that much of the book's success on Kindle and e-books has been driven by readers not wanting to be seen with the paperback cover in public. (ANI)