Top Gear

The mystery surrounding the identity of Top Gear's mythical test-driver "The Stig" has been shattered - and it may be more shocking then first thought.

British newspaper The Daily Mail reported the BBC employed eight different drivers to play the legendary character for the popular motoring show.

The new revelations come a week after a report claimed to have unearthed the identity of The Stig as Ben Collins, a Bristol-based former American speedway driver and stuntman.

Further investigations by the newspaper revealed the identity of seven of the eight men believed to play the white-racing-suit clad driver.

The names will make surprising reading for fans:

-Heikki Kovalainen, 27, a Finnish Formula One McLaren driver.
-Chris Goodwin, 41, former GT world championship driver.
-Julian Bailey,47, a former Formula One racing driver.
-English stunt driver Terry Grant.
-Stunt driver Russ Swift.
-Former stuntman Ben Collins. 
-Dan Lang, a Swedish snow mobile racing champion.

The eighth driver, who revealed the identities of the numerous Stigs, wished to remain anonymous.

An inside source from Top Gear said The Stig’s multiple identities could be easily spotted if people studied the ever-changing height and build of the character from episode to episode.

"In some he looks a lot taller than others. People have become obsessed with finding who The Stig is but they have not considered that it is possible that it is more than one person.

"The simple fact of the matter is that there are currently a number of Stigs who drive on the test track," he told the Mail.

The source added there was frustration at the repeated attempts to identify the mystery driver.

"We love to have the mystery around who he is. I just wish people would give it a rest, it's like telling people there is no Father Christmas."

A BBC spokesman said: "We never comment on speculation as to whom or what the Stig is."

The Stig removed his helmet today!

He is a F1 legend.

He is.............. Michael Schumacher!!!

Seriously. If you missed it, iPlayer it.

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson is at the centre of a new row about insulting the Prime Minister.

He used the c-word to describe Gordon Brown in not-for-broadcast comments during the recording of this week's episode of the motoring show.

It is understood it led to Clarkson - who had to apologise to Mr Brown after calling him a "one-eyed Scottish idiot" earlier this year - being confronted by BBC2 controller Janice Hadlow at the recording.

The pair had a "conversation" after the incident on Wednesday, but she did not ask the presenter to apologise.

According to the Guardian, an eyewitness said Clarkson, 49, was talking about Government policy and said: "The reason you can't do that is because Gordon Brown is a c***."

Several members of the audience reportedly laughed after the comment.

The BBC said in a statement: "Janice went to watch a recording of Top Gear as it is BBC2's top-rated programme, and as controller of BBC2, she holds both the programme and Jeremy in high regard.

"After the recording, she and Jeremy had a discussion about the programme as controllers and presenters often do." The matter has not been referred to the BBC Trust or the director general.

Clarkson attracted widespread criticism after his comments in February about the Prime Minister having one eye.

He told a group of Australian journalists: "In England we have this one-eyed Scottish idiot, the one-eyed Scottish man, he keeps telling us everything's fine and he's saved the world and we know he's lying, but he's smooth at telling us." He was later forced to issue a statement saying: "In the heat of the moment I made a remark about the Prime Minister's personal appearance for which, upon reflection, I apologise."

Richard, 39, reportedly ploughed into the back of a Nissan as he approached a roundabout near his home in Over, Gloucs, at lunchtime.

The four-car smash left his beloved Morgan AeroMax with thousands of pounds of damage.

He also said: "We would stop doing Top Gear when we didn't enjoy making it any more, but, at the moment, it is just the most fantastic fun you can have."