The Stig plays on the obscurity of racing drivers’ full face helmets in the British motoring show Top Gear, with the running joke that nobody knows who or what is inside the character’s racing suit. The Stig was a creation of presenter Jeremy Clarkson and the show’s producer Andy Wilman, although there is one main Stig, there are several spin-off Stigs referred to by the presenters as “The Stig’s cousin.”
The Stig is responsible for setting lap times, as well as instructing celebrity guests in the shows ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car’ section. There have currently been three Stigs.
Now, ‘Some say Top Gear‘s mysterious masked driver is former Formula Three driver Ben Collins’. ‘Some say the Sunday Times unmasked Collins based on the financial reports of his company Collins Auto sport…’ All we know is… they were apparently right.
The Stig, or Ben Collins identity was revealed in his autobiography called “The Man in The White Suit” Collins, a professional racing driver who has participated in Formula Three, Indy Lights, Stock Cars, GT racing and V8 Supercars just to name a few , has been Top Gear’s test driver since 2004. The Stig has for many been the subject of hyperactive speculation.
The identity of The Stig was a closely guarded secret. Efforts to cover the true identity included hoaxes such as having Michael Schumacher dress up and pretend to be the character, are now shattered by Collins planning to publish his memoirs. He should have plenty of tales to tell though, on Top Gear, he has driven with everyone from Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz to Ronnie Wood and Usain Bolt.
Collins, 35, has filmed sequences as a stunt man for National Treasure 2 in 2007, when he was strapped to the roof of a car acting as a body double for Nicolas Cage, he has also doubled for Daniel Craig driving James Bond’s Aston Martin in Quantum of Solace.
The Stig is one of the biggest characters in the show — yet none of the profits from Top Gear’s many spin-off products, often featuring The Stig went to Ben. . .
Now that he has ousted himself as The Stig, his earnings should soar not only from the book but also from speaking engagements. You never know, soon he could be rivaling his old Top Gear colleagues. . .
The secrecy of The Stig was holy, no that he has been revealed and with the knowledge that only a new Stig will replace him has sort of ruined it for me, but none the less. Top Gear will always be entertaining White, Black or new Stig.
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