The High Court in Britain today overruled the BBC’s bid to protect the identity of Top Gear test driver The Stig. Ben Collins has got his way, then, and his autobiography, titled The man in the white suit, can be released later this month as planned.
Speaking after the ruling a BBC spokesperson said, “The BBC brought this action as we believe it is vital to protect the character of the Stig which ultimately belongs to the licence fee payer.
“Today’s judgement does not prevent the BBC from pursuing this matter to trial and the BBC will not be deterred from protecting such information from attack no matter when or by whom it should arise.”
A brief news report from Sky News can be seen after the break.
[Source: Sky News]
UPDATE: Here is a link to a BBC report. Apparently James May is a bit perplexed by the news, “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.”
11 replies on “UK court says Ben Collins can tell the world he is The Stig”
I met “The Stig” a few years ago and was never tempted to ask who he was. I think that it is a shame that it has come to this. I can see both side but I can also see another episode on an aircraft carrier….
M@
Yeah but was the bloke really expected to be burried wearing his Stig helmet and race suit. How long did the BBC expect it to continue? If you’ve been a big enough fan of Top Gear over the years, people have always thought it to be Collins.
So does the next TG ep start with a fresh lap time board?
You can tell it’s him by his walk.
Can’t blame him for going public, 5-10K per episode ain’t much when the other 3 get massive coin.
Expect a humiliating death for white Stig at the start of the next series. Losing control, crashing and dying in a a G-wiz maybe?
I think his Robin Reliant will roll off the edge of a cliff.
The show is crap anyhow, too much messing about & not enough reviews.
Top Gear is a car review show?
Guess I’ll be trading in my “I am the Stig” t-shirt for “I am THE Ben Collins”.
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