Stigs identity confirmed as Ben Collins

[bodgit]

The identity of Top Gear's mysterious Stig has been one of the best kept secrets in television.
But after years of intense public curiosity it has been revealed that he is a 33-year-old racing driver from Bristol.



Ben Collins is the mystery man behind the white mask, a former American NASCAR, Formula 3 driver and Daniel Craig stunt double.
Famed for his on-the-limit driving style, the Stig's identity is normally protected because he never removes his trademark white helmet or racing suit and never talks on camera.
However, the secret apparently came out when a Bristol newspaper ran a story claiming that Collins was at a Bristol photo studio where limited-edition prints of the Stig were being produced.
The media has long known who the Stig is but has refrained from revealing his true identity. A Top Gear spokesman said: "We never comment on speculation as to who or what The Stig is."
Rumour has it that if the Stig's identity was ever revealed the driver could be sacked from Top Gear. The original Stig, Perry McCarthy, was launched off an aircraft carrier and 'killed' after his identity was revealed.
In 2007, Ben Collins wrote a series of stunt-driving articles for MSN Cars.

[Kecky]

The Stig is dead.........Long live the Stig.........

Maybe the next one will wear an orange suit

[savageman25]

I think it would have been better if the media had just left the stig alone and unmasked.
Now everyone nows who he is it has, for me, kind of ruined the idea of the stig.

[Cosworth]

Known this for years.

Also according to Jimmy Carr when I met him at the NIA after his show it also used to alternate between 2 rally drivers..

[DaveG28]

Didn't know about the rally drivers (to be honest, he drives like a track racer not rally driver, would be surprised if a rally driver was doing those laps), but have known it was Ben Collins for a few years, since Perry Mccarthy was dropped off a boat!!

[Chris Doughty]

rally drivers know how to race circuit cars too, they don't handbrake the cars around turns if they don't need to be.

Colin McRae didn't drift his ASCAR round the rock when he did a bit of racing the in RAC ASCAR