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Ben Collins Revealed As Top Gear's Stig, Gets The Sack

 
10 6,452 views Aug 31, 2010
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The BBC's Top Gear is perhaps the most well-recognized and widely-watched motoring program on earth, and the series' dependence on a hired gun that plies the world's best supercars at the show's test track is equally well-known. That driver's identity has been a closely guarded secret of the show, however--until this week.


Previously we reported that the secretive 'tame racing driver' that dresses in a white racing suit and helmet for the program was racing driver and Bristol, UK, resident Ben Collins. However, the claims were quickly denied by the show.

Now, in the latest twist, it has been revealed that Collins has been fired by the BBC after being revealed as the Stig in his autobiography. A company run by Collins also had payments for “driving services” from the BBC in its records.

Collins has since been replaced by a ‘new’ Stig, who was seen doing film work at the Nurburgring on the same day Collins was spotted in the UK with his children. A previous Stig, now known as the Black Stig, preceded Collins but was killed off from the show upon the revelation of his identity as former British Formula 1 driver Perry McCarthy.

[Mirror]





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Comments (10)

  1. Roy Posted: 8/31/2010 5:46am PDT

    The Stig is dead! Long live the Stig!
     
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  2. Dabe Posted: 8/31/2010 6:51am PDT

    Sad! wonder if its in their contract if they ever reveal their identity they get the sack?
     
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  3. Brian Posted: 8/31/2010 12:46pm PDT

    They revealed the Stigs identity 2 seasons ago as Michael Schumacher.
     
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  4. Roy Posted: 8/31/2010 2:56pm PDT

    The original Stig was always rumored to be Tiff Needel, a long-standing member of the Top Gear team who signed his life away to co-present Fifth Gear on a different (non-BBC) channel about ten years ago.
    I suspect there have been many Stigs over the years and became a traditional topic of debate in many British pubs. I'm not sure if people still care, but this sort of "controversy" only serves to stoke that particular fire.
     
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  5. fb_595730328 avatar Steve Bourassa Posted: 8/31/2010 7:18pm PDT

    When Collins signed his contact there was a non disclosure agreement in it. Which states if your identity is discovered due to your actions you will be fired. That is why Collins was fired.
     
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  6. fb_595730328 avatar Steve Bourassa Posted: 8/31/2010 7:21pm PDT

    And Michael Schumacher is not the Stig that was all a hoax. If you watch the end of that episode Michael Schumacher gets lost on his lap around the track. So it was all a big joke.
     
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  7. stevena3 Posted: 8/31/2010 7:33pm PDT

    Brian
    Schumacher was stig for 1 episode only. Read the Top Gear wiki.
     
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  8. fb_100000423315599 avatar Suggs Duck Posted: 9/1/2010 9:16am PDT

    Roy -- the 1st stig in the black overalls was Perry McCarthy - he got fired after he announced in his autobiography he was the stig.
    As for Ben Collins being the stig -- this is probably 1 of the worst kept 'secrets' on the whole show.
    All I can say is it's his own fault he got his contract terminated - he had signed a non-disclosure agreement meaning he could not reveal he was the Stig.
     
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  9. Tom Posted: 9/7/2010 5:55am PDT

    The critical question is how are they going to kill off the Stig? The way they "killed" the last one was epic. They're going to need to outdo driving a Jag off the end of an aircraft carrier. Maybe have him try a stunt involving a Morris Marina.
     
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  10. Tomcat Posted: 9/7/2010 2:30pm PDT

    To kill off the Stig this upcoming season might be best done by James May and Richard Hammond invention that as always goes awry with the Stig in the vehicle.
     
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