Do you remember the day you learned that Father Christmas didn't exist?Well, all of you Top Gear fans out there should prepare to feel like that again...
One of television's best kept secrets -- the identity of Top Gear's test driver The Stig -- has been revealed.
(On the understanding that some of you may not want to know The Stig's identity, we're giving you a chance to click on one of our many other wonderful articles instead...
Ready?
Good.)
The Stig has been revealed as Ben Collins, a 33-year-old former racing car driver and stuntman from Bristol. Collins commissioned a series of posters of the Stig from a Bristol company last year, and in the course of his dealings with the company apparently revealed his double identity.
Two Bristol newspapers reported the story soon afterwards, but most national papers held back because they did not want to spoil the spirit of the show. But then a major newspaper broke the story on Sunday, and the secret was well and truly out of the bag.
The BBC and Top Gear have so far refused to comment, but staff at the show are said to be furious.
Collins began his motorsport career driving in Formula First and Formula Vauxhall Junior before rising to Formula 3. He has also appeared in films like latest Bond flick Quantum of Solace as a stunt driver.
He took over from the previous Stig, Perry McCarthy, after McCarthy disclosed his identity in a 2002 autobiography and was subsequently fired.
Based on past history, it seems that a new Stig will have to be found before the show returns to our screens in December. But no, before you ask, it's unlikely that driving around the M25 at 100mph will land you an audition.
Also on Asylum -- Oh well. The Stig is only our second favourite thing about Top Gear. The best thing is watching Clarkson smash up expensive cars. Just like these ones -- the world's most expensive car crashes (that everyone walked away from).
Epic Vehicle Crashes
Poor BMW Driver did not read the clearly labeled "watch out for giants playing soccer" sign in the parking lot.
wreckedexotics.com
Finally, Tacos Jalisco got the drive-through they always wanted.
WreckedExotics.com
Local fire crews seem to be trying to figure out if this is some kind of art installation.
Clumsycrooks.com
Creative parking. You could fit a MINI Cooper and two Smart cars in that extra space.
autocult.com.au
Listen up, drug dealers -- when you're waiting for the importer to bring in your shipment, don't park right on the airstrip.
Seeitornot.com
"Ice Road Truckers" would be our favorite show if this happened at some point in every episode.
WreckedExotics.com
Here's one of those wrecks where you wish your car was equipped with a ladder, rather than airbags.
WreckedExotics.com
This trucker got one too many speeding tickets.
Truckersoffice.net
A tornado caused this vehicle to experience two new kinds of AC -- an extra fan from a high-school gym and permanently opened windows.
WreckedExotics.com
He used to skateboard. Now he can grind the rails in his Honda Pilot.
Car-accidents.com
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Tuesday 20 January
By JOHN
QUITE SIMPLE VIEWERS THAT CAN SAY GREAT AND HAVE OTHER WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE OTHER THAN F... NERD
Tuesday 20 January
By Davina
Revealing Stig is bad news, why do these sensation seeking Rags' have to go out of their way to spoil the fun of many fans of 'Top Gear'. The best show on earth, as far as I am concerned!
Red tops' Rag Tops' News-of the World! Rubbish, hope that you all go under in these times of recession.......
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Tuesday 20 January
By rob
The Stig is as i said way back no other than VERNE TROYER, look at his BB stunts
Wednesday 21 January
By teszvm,kof
actually, it's Gordon Brown looking for an escape route
Tuesday 20 January
By JACK 111
the stig is not ben collins ive seen collins drive its totaly differnt to the stigs technique
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Tuesday 20 January
By rtvrobr
The Stig IS VERNE TROYER okkkkkkkk
and i haveseenhim drive :)
Tuesday 20 January
By Shanks
Many people already know its Ben and have done for a long time. If people wanted to know then a quick search of youtube or google all direct you to him. It's a shame that it has been made this public for all fans of the show that liked the fact 'nobody' knew. But then again, do people care that its Ben Collins? Most people have never heared of him. I think most people wanted it to be Mansell or Hill and now they know it isn't. I suppose its now bye bye Ben and hello another 'Mr Mystery' just as Perry crashed out of the show for letting people know who he was.
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Tuesday 20 January
By JoJo
Blimey, with a face like that, I'm all for him being outed............ keep the helmet off in future I say ;o)
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Tuesday 20 January
By Drue Bremner
What a crap thing to do!!! What was the benifit to them from reveling the Stig? I think there should be a national boycot the News Of The World day this Sunday!! I for one won't be buying this week all Top Gear fans should join me even just for the one week and let them see that NOT all secrets should be out there. Hit them in the pocket thats what i say!!!!
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Tuesday 20 January
By James
Personally, I think like the shows like soooo lame ! I mean, why would anyone want to watch cars when there are plenty of them out on the streets. I think revealing the pigs true identity is a complete and utter bore for the world and I believe that if anyones identity shoul be reveiled, it should be batmans.
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Tuesday 20 January
By B
if you dont like it so much why are you bothering to reply? Go watch some interesting programme on the growth of fungus...Top Gear is fab, entertaining and 'outing' the Stig is just a malicious act by people with no sense of humour and jealousy over the success of the show.
Go watch paint dry but dont spoil other peoples enjoyment you caudroy wearing cretins >op
Sunday 08 March
By Michael
TOP GEAR IS THE BEST ACTION PACK CAR SHOW ON THIS PLANET SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT,THAT'S UP TP YOU AND I FOR ONE DID NOT WANT TO KNOW THE STIG'S REAL APPERANCE :(
Tuesday 20 January
By josh
u do know if the stig was revealed topgear would be banned, everyone would loose their jobs including the stig and the studio would go mental and would probably charge him dont try saying im a liar because i may not know the stig but my uncle used to work with one of the studio producers and he doesnt even know the stig !!!!!!!!!
Reply
Tuesday 20 January
By James
It hink you wrong, I think the pig bites off more than he can poo and I think he's really a bit puffy
please reply
i would like to hear your comments
Tuesday 20 January
By Rich K
To correct the above article, the original(Black overalls)Stig wasn't sacked for revealing his identity. That was exposed by the press about two weeks into the "new" Top Gear run. He left of his own accord when offered a racing contract with Audi which prevented him continuing as the Stig. This is in the "quoted" autobiography, if you bothered to read it...
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Tuesday 20 January
By Paul
The Stig is Julian Bailey not Ben Collins!!!
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Wednesday 21 January
By Micky
The really truth is that there is not just one Stig… Most of the time it is Ben Collin, but sometime it is a guy called Phil Keen.
Wednesday 21 January
By Tammy
Looks more like Julien Clary the way he poses
Wednesday 21 January
By Paul Herrits
The Stig can't b Ben Collins as my late Mother asked me who the Stig was and she's been dead 25 years from Paul Herrits
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Tuesday 20 January
By rkane
do we have any photographs of the stig on set at top gear , with his helmet off, during a break in filming or cuing up at the catering truck gettin stuck in to a madras.... no we dont
so until these verified photos appear ... we really dont know who he actually is .. im a professional actor and have worked in various studios and production companys for years... these people are masters of spin they could be asking people, not connected with the studio ( of course) to leak these stories. until theres a episode where the stig wrecks a bugati and is lying bleeding on the tarmac gettin cpr from clarkson and we see his face ... its all a big what if... oh and james the stig is s.t.i.g if your gonna talk about the man get his name right ,,,muppett!
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