Did you Spot The Stig Before The Official Reveal?

who Was actually behind the Stig is still a mystery, but Ben was definitely part of the act!

4y ago
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Ben Collins, or the Stig as he's better known for these days, was hidden beneath a white helmet for years before anyone knew for sure it was the ex-Formula 3 racing driver, stuntman, and father.

There were however moments when Ben Collins left his helmet at home and came to work in just a racing suit. The first time was when he appeared as a member of the BBC Top Gear-Team during a 24-hour racing event where they drove a Citroen 2CV - Series 2 Episode 10.

The most noticeable moment, though, would have to be the parachute challenge where he drove his own Mercedes (also driven during the wig test), attempting to catch a parachutist falling from a plane.

After a few failed attempts and some cheating, they finally managed to pull off the stunt, celebrating with clouds of tyre smoke, donuts, and jumping and cheering from James May!

Did you know it was Ben before all was revealed via the awkward ending between Ben and the Top Gear crew? Yes, it was very awkward - he wanted to release a book about his life, which would of course reveal the fact that he was the Stig.

This is a story for another day, but the story surrounding the Stig has almost become myth, with each person having a slightly different take as to who the man was underneath the helmet.

Some say it was Ben Collins, some say it was more than one person. All we know is... he's called the Stig.

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Comments (8)

  • If you watch some of the laps that stig preformed over the years in various vehicles eagle eyed viewers would have noticed that he did wear on more than one occasion a very distinct brand of watch, a watch very simliar to the one Ben is seen wearing in a few segments as himself, through out the series. Coincidence?

    Many people suggest that their were more than one stig, which is what I believe. If you pay close attention whenever the show brought in the team of professional racing drivers whenever they did a race with various public transport vehicles etc they always got the same group of guys eg Tom Chilton, Anthony Reid etc. Take note early in the series, Ben was in that group of guys as well eg when they played Football (soccer ) with the tiny Toyota's.....I truly believe that these professionals where in fact all the stig at different times through out the series.

    Thoughts?

      4 years ago
    • maybe on the odd occasion they may have had someone fill in for Ben ("the stig's ... cousin") but if you watch the clips of the stig when he was walking on screen (to a car etc) he has a rather distinctive walk.

      this same distinctive walk is very...

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        4 years ago
    • I agree 100% Clinton with you.....my theory of having more than one stig is mearly based on the fact that the professional racing drivers that Hammond races against in a few challenges have experience in all forms of motorsport eg touring...

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        4 years ago
  • It's not the stig it's the stigs African cousin etc etc

      4 years ago
  • Take a look at the 2CV in the 24-hour race in Season 2 Episode 10. If you look very carefully, you’ll notice that the top driver name on the car says “Stig,” which means that Ben Collins was revealed as the Stig before the episode in which the first Stig was killed.

      1 year ago
  • He raced the youth down the hill in the wildcat as well

      4 years ago
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