The Stig’s identity officially revealed in court ruling

By Karl Peskett | September 02nd, 2010

A court ruling in England has lifted the lid on the identity of The Stig after the BBC lost its battle to keep it a secret.

Revealing what we already knew, Ben Collins, a race driver who has featured on Top Gear as himself, has been identified as the “tame racing driver” on the popular television programme. High Court Judge Paul Morgan in London refused a request from the BBC to keep the character’s identity secret when the BBC sued, to prevent Collins from publishing his autobiography.

“This is a victory for freedom of speech,” said HarperCollins, the publishing company for Ben Collins, in an e-mailed statement to the Bloomberg news service. “Ben Collins has a great story to tell about his seven years as The Stig which will appeal to a wide audience beyond the world of motoring enthusiasts.”

Andy Wilman, executive producer of Top Gear, said in a statement: “The ‘Top Gear’ audience has always made it clear that they enjoy the mystery surrounding the identity of the Stig and the BBC felt it important to do all it could to protect that anonymity.”

“Viewers of ‘Top Gear’ shouldn’t worry. The Stig lives on and will be back in the new year,” said Mr Wilman.

HarperCollins plans to publish the driver’s autobiography on Sept. 16.

Handsome Al

I dont feel like watching Top Gear anymore now…
zahmad

Breach of contract…comes with the job! Better luck to the next one! Only Ben Collins’ loss…
Bob

The Stig is dead. Long live the Stig!
c3vzn

Haha I’ll probably buy this!
Jon

Bet we get a new Stig…

Minnow

They’ll strap him into topgear space shuttle II with the aim to crash him 10m away only to fail and actually send him into space.

http://www.caradvice.com.au Ok

Topgear is a stupid show anyway! clarkson could not drive a car if his life depended on it . Fifthgear is KING
top gear is home and away tv viewing

Minnow

Have you actually watched fifthgear? Its 20min of “Coming up next”, 20min of “What just happened before the break” and 19min of competitions and 1min of actual driving. Granted when Tiff Needell is driving, the show is all awesomeness, but when compared to Topgear’s non stop humour the format is rubbish.
Mad Max

Jeremy Clarkson might not be the worlds best driver, something that he readily admits himself but he is earning heaps of money, doing something he enjoys and (I might have already mentioned this) earning heaps of money. Topgear has a worldwide audience of 375 million people PER EPISODE. 5th gear struggles to rate a mention. As usual the public have voted…

G220BA

The fact is it doesn’t matter who plays the character of “The Stig”. I don’t really care who Ben Collins was or is, he is not “The Stig”.

“The Stig” has been and always will be a mythical character.

Macca

I so agree…the STIG will always be bigger than whoever the human he is.

XR8XR2

ok I disagree totally

g220ba agreed
j

Bet you Clarkson’s introduction for Stig in the next season will be:

“Some say, he’s Ben Collins, but all we know is, he’s called The Stig!”
toxic_horse

Top Gear was a great show but has run its course. Should end on a high note and be done with it.

Mad Max

That might be your opinion TR, but its worldwide audience is going up.

Moe

Im never going to be the Stig
TuffGuy

Sack this prick now and get a brand new silver stig.
Torque

Time for a female stig IMO, Sabine Schmidt? who thumped the Transit around Nurburgring could be a good start.

Mad Max

But it would be a shame to hide her face behinde the helmet. She’s too cute for that…
Good looking, loves cars, drives brilliantly. The ultimate girl??

Torque

Very good perspective Max, I say ditch clarkson and replace him with sabine, but then they still need another female stig? Who ?

john

IMO Ben Collins had enough of being The Stig after 7 years and decided it was time too write a book about his time as the mythical character. He knew full well what would happen if he revealed his identity. He chose to do so knowing the consequences so that tells me he was sick of being The Stig anymore and wanted too now try and cash in on this fact while the show is still top rating.
Dave

That guy on the right looks nothing like the Stig. Besides the Stig never talks.
The Stig, is a mystical creatures we may never fully comprehend.
The Stig, is bigger than Ben.
Jimmy James

Look, everyone who watches Top Gear has known for YEARS that The Stig is Ben Collins. The current situation provides BBC TV with an excellent opportunity to kill off a concept that has become lame and sad. The whole charade is pathetic quite frankly, and the ‘some say…’ introductions are about as funny as cancer. Get a new test driver every season, and leverage that profile by naming them. Mansell? Damon Hill? Sabine Schmidt? Jay Kay?

c3vzn

I don’t think I have ever laughed at the ‘some say’ intros. I swear the audience only laughs coz there’s a “Laughter” sign on.

Homer

TG is fast approaching its use by date. Hence the beat up controversy regarding the naming of the Stig, for the umpteenth time. The contrived races each week that always end in a near dead heat are as real as, dare I say it… the Stig. Clarkson doing endless burnouts is rather boring and repetitive. May is the only thing / person that gives the show some credibility. What used to be a fun show about cars and guys is now been taken over by outside influences to be franchised entertainment. Good luck to them, but whereas once TG was mandatory viewing, now it\’s give or take, no great loss. Their success is based on what the show used to be, not what it is today.
Ralph

Gents,

The Stig is bigger than Ben. Agree.

Have a look at Danica Patrick who drives for Andreddi Motorsport in the US Indy Series. She would make an ideal Stig! (Please don’t tell my wife). She looks like a lovely driver: very talented. Mmmmm.

Camry Drivers would even like her (she’s a bit different to their blokes).

Cheers,

Ralph

Fenno

Camry driverS may, but will our beloved “Camry Lover” here at CA bow down to her awesomeness. Unless she is driving at a sedate and un-criminal like pace then methinks he will object….

Ralph

Fenno,

I am just waiting for our beloved “Camry Lover” to pounce!

Where are you, Rick?

Have they inherited the cardigan from former Magna drivers?

Cheers,

Ralph

PS Anti-spam word: Lexus (“oh, what a feeling…”)

Homer

Please don’t wind him up. He’s probably down at some BMW shop badgering the sales guys on the benefits of FWD and the need for a tissue box retainer on the rear parcel shelf.
Falcodore

@ Homer and Ralph: Awesome stuff,very funny. Totally agree agree with the Magna drivers comment.

Cheers to you both : D

Hooda

Stupid Judge.

There is a factory in Sydney that makes the steering column for 2 Formula 1 teams, they wont reveal which teams.

Will any judge force them to reveal what teams, because of free-speech laws???
Shak

So people whats the opinion on the colour of the next Stig. IMO he/she/it should stay White.

Torque

The next Stig? Simple answer Shak, SHE should wear a black or red tight leather outfit.

Tom R

What a prick! He was such an integral part of top gear! Just wait till your contract is up for god sake…
Car Enthusiast

LOL, I bet the judge/majistrate was like, that’s it I’m sick of this I want to know who the real stig is so he made the BBC loose its case.

jkz, all in all they’ll just have to get a new stig,and probably pay him/her much more to stop them from spilling the beans (so to speak), maybe someone from fifth gear, (jason plato) or possibly a german.
Falcodore

Tiff needell is goood mates with James May so they could give him the gig for a couple of seasons then maybe they’ll recruit Mark Webber when he retires at the end of 2011?