Police investigating a report that a shot was fired at a taxi carrying Ian Hislop in central London have found no evidence of a firearm discharge.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said "urgent CCTV and forensic examinations" instead suggested a mechanical fault with the vehicle, which caused the window to shatter.
The Guardian first reported that the editor of Private Eye was in a black cab in Soho on Tuesday morning when a bullet hit it, close to where the satirical magazine's office is based.
Neither Mr Hislop nor the driver, who reported the incident to the police, was injured.
The vehicle has been taken for further examination.
The driver and passenger have been told of the Met's findings, a force spokesperson said.
Mr Hislop has been the editor of Private Eye since 1986.
He is also a team captain on the long-running BBC comedy quiz, Have I Got News For You.