Ben Collins was the white-suited Stig for eight years on Top Gear, coinciding with the show’s peak. In a recent video interview from the Road To Success podcast, he shared insights on working there, and the lengths he went to keep his “tame racing driver” identity under wraps.

Collins began his racing career at 18 years old and eventually raced in the top class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Team Ascari. His opportunity with Top Gear arose not long after.

Wanting to be involved with the franchise, Collins had a try-out at the Dunsfold Aerodrome circuit in a Ford Focus. Despite not being initially impressed, the show’s producer, Andy Wilman, later called him back and presented him with a white suit.

To maintain his alter ego secret, Collins would wear a balaclava to conceal his face on set and never remove his helmet while there. He would change clothes in a van when filming on location.

He even utilized a pseudonym, Richard Jameson, for hotel check-ins, derived from the names of the show’s hosts – Richard Hammond, James May, and Jeremy Clarkson.

Collins regretted a Top Gear segment that never came to fruition, where the hosts would race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He viewed it as the perfect project for The Stig, but unfortunately, it didn’t materialize.

In an interview, Collins expressed his love for his time with Top Gear. Eventually, his cover was blown by a story in the BBC Radio Times, and he felt the show was phasing him out. He had his final episode with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz in the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car segment.

After leaving the show, Collins faced a legal battle with the BBC over his book, The Man in the White Suit: The Stig, Le Mans, The Fast Lane and Me, which he describes as the most stressful period in his life.

He currently runs the Ben Collins Drives YouTube channel, diving into the world of high-performance vehicles such as the six-wheeled Tyrrell P34 Formula 1 car.