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Top Gear's Stig 'to be unveiled'


The Stig, the mystery driver who tests high-performance cars on Top Gear, will take his helmet off for the first time later, the BBC has confirmed.

Presenter Jeremy Clarkson, writing in his column in the Sun, revealed the unmasking, saying Stig's identity would be a "staggering surprise" to viewers.

He said the Stig would barge into the studio in Sunday night's pre-recorded BBC Two show before showing his face.

The driver has previously been named by papers as ex-stunt driver Ben Collins.

The BBC has previously refused to confirm or deny whether Collins, who has worked on films including James Bond movie Quantum Of Solace, is the Stig.

Clarkson, 49, said that, while filming the scenes, "hardened, emotionless camera crews said the hair on the back of their neck prickled".

"As a television moment, it's up there with Neil Armstrong walking on the... corpse of JR Ewing," he added.

A BBC spokesman would only say: "As Jeremy said, in tonight's Top Gear Stig will remove his helmet for the first time."

It is not clear if the apparent unveiling is part of a publicity stunt which could mean that Stig's identity remains a mystery.

Perry McCarthy, a former Formula 1 driver, was the original Stig, wearing black overalls for his appearances.

He was replaced with a new Stig, dressed in white, after he had revealed his identity in his 2002 autobiography.


THE BBC

We all know it's Ben I'll still have a nose though

oh god. its a German!

I think its a publicity stunt and not the real Stig.

He is NOT the real Stig at all

ah i just posted this in the motoring bit hahah! feel free to delete it

Seems I was right...the cheating German wasn't The Stig.

Normal services will resume!

He's the wrong build for the Stig - us girls notice these things

Getting desperate to keep the viewers up now..

why not just stick to what they know best..... testing cars?

Question is, was it the Stig, or Schuey driving the Ferrari...

I asked my 'friend in the know' (Art Director on Top Gear magazine). He just said he wasn't allowed to say anything

I'd say it was The Stig driving the Ferrari and not Schuey.

Ive since heard it was Schuey as it was his car / Ferrari had trusted it to him - it was a bit random that the "Stig" would just test it...

Definately Schumacher driving the Ferrari. You could easily see the entirely different driving style... and he looked different as well.

as with the F1 cars that sometimes appear, only official Test Drivers are allowed to test those car apart from the main drivers, and I believe the same thing occurred for the ferrari.

Basically, it means the Lap times Board has been proven pointless, but people will still be like "Wow, did you know schumacher was the stig??" because theyll believe anything Clarkson says.

The official Stig is still Ben Collins for doing the power lap times.

And another thing to end any speculation, having spokn to the man himself at Knockhill, Damon Hill is NOT the stig, and never has been