THE STIG is the test driver who showcases impressive driving skills on the BBC series Top Gear.
In 2024, presenter Jeremy Clarkson revealed the identity of the last motor racer to become the iconic character during a Q&A screening for The Grand Tour‘s final special.
The name ‘Stig’ has its roots in a playful tradition at Repton School, which original Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson attended Credit: Alamy
There was a moment when the character was almost named ‘The Gimp’ Credit: Dan Charity – The Jattvibe
The birth of The Stig
The name “Stig” has its roots in a playful tradition at Repton School, which original Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson attended.
All new boys at the school were affectionately referred to as Stig.
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This inside joke continued when Top Gear producer Andy Wilman, also an alumnus of Repton, decided to name the anonymous driver after the school’s nickname.
Interestingly, there was a moment when the character was almost named The Gimp, a reference to his signature suit that resembled a BDSM outfit.
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But Perry McCarthy, the original Stig, objected to this name.
Suited and booted
In the earlier seasons of Top Gear, The Stig had several important roles.
The Stig was responsible for driving various high-performance cars, setting benchmark lap times that became a point of reference for the presenters and guests.
He also trained celebrities off-camera for the Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car segment, ensuring they were prepared for their time on the show.
With the show’s revival in 2016 under new presenter Chris Evans , Chris Harris took over the training duties for the revamped Star in a Rallycross Car segment.
While many believed Harris and co-presenter Sabine Schmitz‘s driving skills might have made the Stig’s role obsolete, the mysterious driver in white remained a staple on the show to the very end.
The Unmasking of The Stig
The character known as The Stig has been portrayed by various drivers throughout the history of Top Gear.
His identity remained a closely guarded secret on the show.
Here we take a look at some of the known drivers – and the rumours – behind the mysterious test driver.
Perry McCarthy
The original Stig, often referred to as the Black Stig, was racing driver Perry McCarthy, who donned the iconic suit – which was originally black – from 2002 to 2003.
Racing driver Perry McCarthy was the first to don the iconic suit Credit: Getty
McCarthy’s role was established after he met Clarkson at the launch party for his autobiography, Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 The Hard Way.
Initially intended to be a regular presenter, McCarthy was instead cast as an anonymous driver, embodying the show’s mystery.
But after a revelation by The Jattvibeday Mirror in 2003, his identity was exposed, leading to McCarthy’s character being “killed off” in a dramatic fashion in the first episode of series three.
Ben Collins
In 2010, racing driver and stuntman Ben Collins publicly revealed himself as The Stig, which resulted in him losing his job after seven years of service.
Racing driver Ben Collins served as the primary stunt driver and coordinator for the entire Daniel Craig era of James Bond films Credit: Alamy
The revelation came about as he prepared to release his autobiography titled The Man In The White Suit, which was deemed a breach of the confidentiality agreement he had signed with the BBC.
Collins took over as the White Stig in 2003, after McCarthy’s Black Stig was killed off after he left the show due to dissatisfaction with his salary and the secrecy surrounding the character.
His Stig was more than just a racing driver – he participated in a variety of stunts and challenges, expanding the character’s role within the show.
Speculation about Collins’s identity was rampant, with various racing drivers being rumoured as The Stig.
In 2009, his supposed identity was further muddled when a newspaper article suggested he was an ordinary man living a seemingly mundane life.
Michael Schumacher
In a notable twist, The Stig was “unmasked” in the studio, with cheers of “off off” from the audience in 2009.
The scene took place after rumours that the driver was a “photocopier salesman who lived in a pebble-dashed house”.
As the crowd cheered, the face under the helmet was revealed to be F1 superstar Michael Schumacher.
Michael Schumacher was ‘revealed’ to be a Stig in 2009 Credit: Getty
The unveiling came after a record lap from the driver.
Schumacher gave host Clarkson a wink after the dramatic moment, which was a joke stunt after the tabloid rumours.
Phil Keen
After Collins’ departure, Phil Keen took on the role in 2010.
His identity remained secret for years, finally being confirmed in 2024.
The introduction of Phil Keen as The Stig brought a fresh perspective to the character, with new stunts and challengesCredit: Refer to Source
Clarkson revealed: “The original Stig was Perry McCarthy, followed by Ben Collins, followed by Phil Keen.
“There isn’t a current Top Gear, so there isn’t a current Stig, but the last one was Phil Keen.”
The introduction of Keen brought a fresh perspective to the character, with new stunts and challenges that maintained the allure of The Stig.
He joined Top Gear a year after he was crowned champion of the British GT Championship in the Supersport class.
Other Stigs
The Stig is a cultural icon in the world of motorsport and television.
Throughout the series, there have been various incarnations of The Stig, often referred to as “cousins.”
These include characters like the Big Stig from the US Special, the African Cousin in the Botswana Special, and many more, each adding a humorous twist to the character while maintaining the core concept of a mysterious, anonymous driver.
A woman was spotted carrying the white helmet in 2019.
The speculation and mystery surrounding The Stig was an integral part of Top Gear’s charm, with each driver contributing to the lore of the character in unique ways.
Top Gear presenters
The original version of Top Gear was cancelled in December 2001.
It was originally launched on BBC Midlands in 1977 (hosted by Angela Rippon and Tom Coyne), before moving to national television in 1978.
It featured many presenters and reporters, including Noel Edmonds, a young Jeremy Clarkson, Tiff Needell, William Woollard, and Quentin Wilson.
The show was revived in 2002 with presenters Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James Dawe.
Dawe was replaced by James May in the second series and the dynamic trio was formed.
Their chemistry and banter defined the early years of the show and left a lasting legacy.
It has undergone several transformations since Clarkson, Hammond, and May left the show in 2015.
In 2016, Chris Evans was revealed as the new presenter alongside Matt LeBlanc.
They were joined on occasion by Eddie Jordan, motoring journalists Chris Harris and Rory Reid, and German motor racing driver Sabine Schmitz.
Evans quit after one season with former Friends star LeBlanc staying on with co-hosts Harris and Reid before stepping down in 2018.
In October 2018, it was announced that Paddy McGuinness and Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff would take over as Top Gear hosts.
Presenter Harris stayed on with them.
But after a serious accident involving Flintoff in 2022, the show was axed.
The BBC officially announced in late 2023 that the show was being “rested for the foreseeable future.”
But reports have since surfaced that the BBC is actively working on rebooting Top Gear with a completely fresh presenting team.
Because it’s been off air since 2022, Phil Keen remains the third and final official Stig of the Top Gear broadcast era.
