Top Gear's The Stig joins rival show Fifth Gear

Ben Collins will no longer hide behind mask on Five program

The man who played the Top Gear driver The Stig has joined rival show the Fifth Gear. 

Picture : Ben Collins played The Stig for 7 years

Ben Collins is the person, age 35, will debut on the Five programme when the new series launches next week.

He will appear unmasked because of the The Stig is a BBC trademark.

'I'm delighted to be joining the Fifth Gear team,' he says about it.

'And I'm looking forward to a new set of exciting challenges...apparently with and without the helmet.

The Former Formula Three star Ben was identified as The Stig last month after the BBC lost a High Court bid to block the publication of his forthcoming autobiography, in which he outs himself.

He is the second driver to take on the role - he slipped into the hot seat vacated by the Formula 1's Perry McCarthy, 49, in 2003.

The Top Gear bosses are expected to hire a new the Stig now.

The Fifth Gear starts on Friday 8 October at 7.30pm.



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