Stig mystery solved as BBC loses court battle
 

The BBC has lost a legal fight to stop publication of a book which reveals the identity of Top Gear's driver The Stig.

The High Court in London refused to grant the BBC an injunction blocking the publication by HarperCollins of an autobiography of former Formula Three driver Ben Collins.

The book claims Mr Collins is the mysterious driver on the BBC Two show.

The BBC began legal action against HarperCollins last week.

The case took place behind closed doors.

The BBC had argued that the planned book would breach confidentiality obligations.

But Top Gear presenter James May, who was a studio guest on BBC London when High Court's decision was announced, made light of the situation.

He said: "Obviously I'm now going to have to take some legal action of my own, because I have been the Stig for the past seven years, and I don't know who this bloke is, who's mincing around in the High Court pretending it's him."

The BBC has never confirmed the identity of The Stig - who test drives cars on the show in a racing helmet. It maintains that unmasking him would spoil viewers' enjoyment.

The court case follows newspaper speculation last month that The Stig's true identity was Mr Collins, who lives in Redland, Bristol, based on the financial reports of his company.

At the time, the BBC said it was "no surprise" that Ben Collins' company listed Top Gear amongst its work as the driver had "appeared numerous times on the programme and he often supplied other drivers for both the programme and Top Gear Live".

Last week, HarperCollins said it would "vigorously defend" its right to publish the book, adding it was "disappointed that the BBC has chosen to spend licence fee payers' money to suppress this book".

However Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman attacked the publisher, writing on the Top Gear website that the BBC had a right to protect Stig's anonymity "from a bunch of chancers" who were "hoping to cash in on it".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11151777

in a sunday newspaper ben collins gave an interview saying it was him, and that they were filiming in germany the friday before with a new stig. . .
pisses me off when they call the previous stig ex-formula one legen perry mccarthy. . . . you may be thinknig WHO?!?!?!? but yeah he was a racing driver in the early 90's who NEVER qualified for a race and then lost his test role to david coulthard. . . not a legend by any means!

I wonder what colour this new Stig will be?

he was white when they were recording friday

man, dvtimes, you = retarded.

The problem is the name "ben collins" means nothing to me. He might as well be john smith.

:1orglaugh Hilarious Mr. May!

So when people post pics of a person in a white helmet it's a reference to a mystery driver from a BBC tv show about cars?

Well. What do you know.

I think that's a compliment :Oh crap