Tag: Ben Collins

Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear drags Stig drama back to court

Ben Collins

A couple of months ago a UK court ruled in favour of Ben Collins, the man formerly known as The Stig, allowing him to publish his autobiography. Collins’ tale lifted the curtain on some of the mystique behind Top Gear and the BBC were not too impressed. Unhappy with that initial ruling the BBC are taking the case back to court.

Collins confirmed the new stoush a few days ago saying, “I’ve just had to do a load of witness statements for round two. As it stands they are pursuing me for breach of contract. So here we go again.”

The Beeb are adamant that Collins had revealed his identity well before the autobiography controversy broke. Collins, of course, denies that is the case, “I worked so hard to keep a lid on the whole thing and stay anonymous. I didn’t tell anybody what I did. I used to go to the locations wearing a balaclava in my civvy clothes, which was all my idea, I wasn’t told to do it.

“It seems ridiculous, the BBC stance. Even though they lost the first case they are pursuing me a second time, saying I was leaking my identity. It’s pretty hard to hear it and I’m pretty fed up with it.”

We can certainly understand the latter point, there. Based on recent comments from Jeremy Clarkson announcing a new Stig has been selected it looks like Collins will be the subject of countless passive aggressive attacks in future. What do you think, is Clarkson right to attack Collins’ integrity, or should he just suck it up and move on?

[Source: Drive.com.au]

Categories
Fifth Gear Top Gear

Ben Collins joins Fifth Gear

Ben Collins

Ben Collins has joined former Top Gear presenters Vicki-Butler Henderson and Tiff Needell at rival television program Fifth Gear.

Collins has been at a bit of a loose end since he outed himself and his Stig gig went belly up. He is now welcoming a new chance to perform “Stig-like” duties saying, “I’m delighted to be joining the Fifth Gear team.”

“I am looking forward to a new set of exciting challenges, apparently with and without the helmet,” he continued.

Series 18 of Fifth Gear will go to air later this year (later this week if twitter is to be believed) and The Artist Formerly Known As The Stig is expected to feature in at least five episodes.

Channel 5 exec, Steve Gowans, is excited too, “We’re delighted to have the Ben on board – it will be fascinating to see how he does in a head-to-head with Tiff and Jason [Plato] – the best drivers on TV.”

[Source: The Guardian | Pic: Tim Ireland/PA | Thanks to Richard for the tip]

Categories
Top Gear

Jeremy Clarkson talks about the Ben Collins fallout

Jeremy Clarkson

As well all know Ben Collins was The Stig. The fallout from Collins’ decision to out himself has been massive. For one it’s cost him his job. But it also looks like it has cost him a few friendships, as well.

Jeremy Clarkson was interviewed by internet-only TV station WitneyTV. It’s a low budget community-based outfit covering news in the West Oxfordshire region of England. Now, though, they are reaching a worldwide audience.

Here’s a few quotes from the interview:

“It was a shock. It was horrible, actually. I liked him. He came around to my house, and had drinks, and all that time he was writing a book.”

“TopGear is damaged, but not out.”

“If you’re watching this children, greed is bad.”

“Put it this way, he’s history, as far as we’re concerned. He’s sacked.”

You can see a trailer for the interview after the break, or follow this link for the full interview (Episode #17, fast forward to the 27 minute mark).

[Thanks to Richard for the tip]

Continue reading “Jeremy Clarkson talks about the Ben Collins fallout”
Categories
Top Gear

Some say… The Stig has been sacked

The Stig

Following last week’s news confirming the Ben Collins is The Stig theory comes today’s revelation that Collins has been sacked by the BBC. Proving that the Beeb doesn’t muck around it’s also been reported that a new Stig has already been employed.

According to UK newspaper The Mirror a new man in white was seen working for Top Gear at the Nürburgring as recently as last Friday.

The whole story erupted on 19 August when it became apparent the man in white wanted to out himself in an autobiography to be published by HarperCollins. The book is due for release in mid September and the BBC is continuing to fight in the British courts to have the autobiography suppressed.

Speaking on the Top Gear website Executive Producer Andy Wilman said, “So on Monday there I was, dressed like somebody who works behind the till at NatWest, having to listen to people from HarperCollins telling me that they have the right to reveal who the Stig is.

“Well actually, that’s tosh. The whole point of the Stig is the mystique – the bizarre characteristics he has, the wonderment created about what he might think, feel, do or look like. Kids adore the conceit, and I believe adults, although they know it’s a man in a suit (or is it?), gladly buy into the whole conceit because they find it entertaining.”

[Source: Mirror.co.uk]

Categories
Top Gear

Some say… The Stig is Ben Collins

Ben Collins

Media reports from around the globe are reviving old rumours that Ben Collins is The Stig. Speculation on the true identity of the famous Top Gear test driver was thrown into the spotlight last week when it was revealed the man inside the white race suit wanted to out himself, only to be silenced by BBC lawyers.

Now it would appear others have done the dirty work for him. Details from the financial records of Collins Autosport were published in The Sunday Times on the weekend and revealed a sharp boost in income back in 2003 for “driving services provided for the BBC, mainly in the Top Gear programme.”

The timing is in line with the Black Stig’s replacement, following the revelation that former F1 driver Perry McCarthy was the original Stig. McCarthy is understood to have been sacked by the BBC once he revealed his true identity in his autobiography Flat out, flat broke.

Rumours of Collins’ identity first emerged following Richard Hammond’s serious crash in September 2006 when he was named in the accident report.

A tradesman also shed light on the matter some time back after doing some work at Collins’ house and seeing The Stig’s driving suit and gloves hanging up inside the home in a display cabinet.

It has been reported The Stig earns up to AU$17,000 per episode for his services to Top Gear. However, the unconfirmed driver is believed to want a larger slice of the revenue derived by Stig merchandising sold by the BBC.

[Source: Telegraph | Pic: Collins Autosport | Thanks to Sean for the tip]