Top Gear fans may think he’s superhuman
but it has been revealed that The Stig is actually a mere mortal...
...former racer and James Bond stunt
driver Ben Collins.
The true identity of the character was
revealed at the weekend after The Telegraph of London broke with
convention and outed Collins.
"We never comment on speculation as
to who or what the Stig is,” a Top Gear spokesman told the paper.
The mystery began to unravel after a
report that The Stig had revealed his identity to printers who were
working on promotional photographs for him.
Photographer Simon Whitehead told The
Bristol Evening Post was shocked when the customer made the revelation.
"I was absolutely amazed when he said
he was The Stig, it was quite a big thing in a weird way," he said.
"I suppose he had to tell us because
he was planning to work with us in the future and had to get it out of the
way."
Despite Mr Whitehead refusing to name him
it gave the British press enough information to confirm Collins as The
Stig.
An accident report into presenter Richard
Hammond's crash in September 2006 recorded that Collins had "worked
closely with Top Gear as a high performance driver and consultant".
The Stig had also been heard speaking in a
Bristol accent and Collins has the driving credentials to qualify for the
job.
He began his motor sport career in 1994
and has raced at Le Mans and in NASCAR, Formula Three and in GT.
He has also worked as Daniel Craig's stunt
driver in Quantum of Solace and he was in the army for four years.
Earlier this month, News of the World
reported The Stig lived in a $650,000 home with his wife and once had a
shot as a Formula 1 driver.
And what may shock fans of the British car
show most is that this star doesn’t get around in a Ferrari or Maserati.
He drives a reasonably priced, $32,000 car.
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