I've just watched the latest "new" Top Gear - a massive improvement on the old one. I Even caught SWMBO watching it over the top of her Sunday paper.
...but - who is Stig?
I'm sorry if this has been covered before, but I am wondering if it will turn out to be someone well known.
Any ideas?
Ian Cook
|
I'm sorry if this has been covered before, but I am wondering if it will turn out to be someone well known.
I too have pondered this. In my opinion if they'd spent big bucks on a big name they'd have to advertise the fact. Even for someone obscure in the touring car world.
It will turn out to be an unknown... and I for one think the idea works better for that!
Of course I'm prepared to hear a contrary view.
Mybe we should discuss who we'd *like* it to be. I'd like it to be Jackie Stewart. I'm sure he's still fast.
--
These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
|
|
Only Stig that I could think of is Stig Blomqvist but as an ex-top rally driver I am sure that they would plow their trumpet having a "celeb"
|
It'll be Tiff :-)
possibly. he then has to remain anonymous as he is working for a rival prog, so we will never find out!
|
Definate. It isn't Twitch Nurdell.
DvD
|
|
|
|
Interesting so far, chaps. I wonder if they are going to try to stimulate interest into his identinty.
I had discounted Needell, because of his rival programme, but was tending towards an ex F1 or rally driver. Damon Hill, perhaps?
Ian Cook
|
Given Hill's (copyright Frank Doberman) rather unkempt appearance on the BBC motorshow programme last Sunday Stig's an adequate description of the way he looks at the moment.
Matthew Kelly
No, not that one.
|
|
|
|
|
I thought it might be Johnny Herbert, as JC has used him before.
|
I thought Johnny Herbert too, a much under-rated driver in his time, but this months (Dec) TG Magazine has a small article on Stig at the back that says he's got a French accent.
So it's not Tiff or JH...
Lee.
|
I reckon it's John Prescott.
Working off his lunch.
|
|
|
|
Alain Menu ?
|
|
Don't say Menu, it'll confuse Prescott.........
|
|
|
|
"this months (Dec) TG Magazine has a small article on Stig at the back that says he's got a French accent."
Strange, I thought it was Hyundai that made the Accent ? ;-)
|
|
|
What's Jean Alesi doing these days?
Tomo
|
|
|
|
|
who is Stig?
1000-1 outsider, its that Welsh woman, Maureen Rees from that Driving School prog.
|
"Wasn't there a rally driver called Stig Blomqvist (or something like that)?"
Too big, too old.
|
There is another Stig
Stig Olov Walfridsson
|
|
I suspect there might be lots of Stigs.........
|
One of may favourite books as a kid - Stig of the Dump.
A caveman living in an old chalkpit near sevenoaks.
www.readingmatters.co.uk/books/stig-of-the-dump.htm
I always used to revel in the fantasy - but seeing some of the Neanderthal drivers on the road, one wonders....
|
|
|
Anyoune know the origin of the phrase
"better than a poke in the eye with a sharp Stig......" ?
|
"Stig of the Dump"
Curry scoffing champ, then?
|
Of course it is gits backwards.......
Simon
|
|
wasnt the guitarist at the recent guns and roses show also behind a mask ? some big name guitarist trying to hide ? maybe its stig ?
|
|
|
|
>>"Wasn't there a rally driver called Stig Blomqvist (or something like that)?
>Too big, too old."
Still quicker than you old bean.
|
Stig
Slim, average to tallish, maniac driver...
Could it be TPT?
MM
|
Could it be TPT? MM
>>
TPT? - can you enlighten me, MM?
Ian Cook
|
|
TPT?? surely not Tara Palmer-Tomkinson aaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhhh!
|
|
|
|
"Still quicker than you old bean."
And how do you know that, sir? I'm as fast as the next man, over a cliff.............
|
"Still quicker than you old bean." And how do you know that, sir? I'm as fast as the next man, over a cliff.............
Believe me I know these things ;-)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There was a short piece in the Sunday Times about a 'mystery Top Gear Driver' who had badly damaged a car (Merc?) on their test track. He was described (I think) as a long-haired former Formula 1 driver. Does that help? Presumably it's 'Stig'.
Hope I've remembered that correctly, will double check tonight.
Rebecca
|
|
So it's Damon Hill then. (Would have thought he would have been announced big time if it was him.)
|
Damon Hill has been on Top Gear before, hasn't he? Did I not see him once testing a Honda Accord Type-R? (That should date it.)
CMark
|
|
|
|
Just went to sundaytimes.co.uk and did a search for "Top Gear", here's the relevant piece:-
"Keen to avail television viewers of the aerodynamic properties of the new Mercedes-Benz SL 55, a certain long-haired British former Formula One champion managed to cause several thousand pounds? worth of damage to the £100,000 sports car during a piece for the BBC?s Top Gear. Repeated flying sessions off a ?yump? wrecked the wheel arches, a couple of wheels, sections of the floorpan and possibly crippled the engine, too."
I think they are infact referring to the BBC Motorshow program shown a couple of weeks back and wasn't actually entitled "Top Gear", during which Damon drove one of the presenters (whom I didn't recognise from any current motoring programs) round what looked like Millbrook in the aforementioned Merc until said presenter promptly vomited out of the window. They repeatedly showed shots of the Merc leaving the ground...
|
Thanks for saving me the job of typing the article Phil!
I didn't see the Motorshow prog. If it's been broadcast, I wonder why they just didn't say it was Damon driving? Then I wouldn't have got caught up in this Stig mystery...
Sorry for the false alarm.
Rebecca
|
|
|
|
|
If it was STICK - as in Plank - I would go for Damon Hill
Matt35
|
|
|
Is there any clue in the Stig's alleged taste in music, or is that a complete red herring?
Regards
John S
|
I reckon Stig is a swipe at Stiff Needle who is on 5th gear rather than Top Gear. Stig was introduced along these lines:
"And here is our racing driver to test our cars. The racing driver is so unimportant that we can't even be bothered to name him."
Does Stuck Needle like bland music?
|
Does Stuck Needle like bland music?
No idea, but just like other presenters, he does like the sound of his own voice!!
|
|
|
I reckon Stig is a swipe at Stiff Needle who is on 5th gear rather than Top Gear.
Clarkson likes Tiff. If he was having a dig it would be purely good natured.
--
These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
|
|
You may well be right, but one of the funniest things I have ever heard was an allegedly very drunk Clarkson on radio LeMans a few years ago. He ranted on about his then fellow TG presenters, giving them all a good slagging, including "Stiff Noodle"
|
|
|
|
|
|
...but - who is Stig?
From the TG website:
With the track in place, all we needed was someone to drive the laps and set the comparable lap times for our test cars. We didn't need them to speak; just as well, not many racing drivers can actually speak. And so we've got our own mute, pet racing driver - The Stig. He's very fast, he's very quiet and his identity will never be revealed.
www.topgear.com/content/features/stories/new_tg/03/
|
>>his identity will never be revealed.<<
My bet is that he's an instructor from Brands, or other local race driver. I don't see them paying a 'name' to turn up every week and drive round, then keep confidential without making something of it.
PB.
|
They are doing it to generate interest. And it's working, if this thread is anything to go by. They will, eventually, release the name, but probably "unofficially" as an exclusive scoop by one of the tabloids, or similar. This kind of advertising is all very passe. My guess is it's Graham Norton. Imagine, all those macho guys trying to beat times set by a camp chatshow host.
|
"My guess is it's Graham Norton."
I'm off to the bookies while the odds are still good ...
|
"My guess is it's Graham Norton."
Hey like the font colour trick, Leif!
I'm just so green with envy ;-) "
|
FIF. I see that you too are amused by small things! It used to be possible to change the f********. Odd that the swear checker thinks that f******** is too blue to display.
(The starred sequence is two words - font and size.)
|
Never drink the stuff..............
|
|
|
|
|
...but - who is Stig?
Katie Price, AKA Jordan??
Comes with her own air bags as standard :o)
|
They're not her own, are they?
|
|
|
|
BBC World screened it last night to us in the colonies.
My first impression was JC (sans mullet) looks drawn and burned out. He seemed to be making a not very successful effort to be jovial but it all looked rather forced. Perhaps he's past his prime.
Why watch it then? Because it's there I suppose....
|
Its Jonathan Palmer.
Reason: Clarksons latest video (filmed within the last 6 months) used him. He is also an Ex-F1 driver.
|
As most of you have already stated the obvious "who is the stig" question with answers such as Tiff Needell - I'll skip over that despite my first "oh its definitely tiff" thought.
Damon Hill - I think its a possibility, but I think he's too tall to be The Stig.
Also if its true that The Stig has a french accent, then again Alain Menu was an obvious choice, but wouldnt they announce him??
Is it wrong to think The Stig is female? Could it be an anagram of their actual name?
Jonathan Palmer - Who is he? Maybe I'm too young to know him? - *Looks up on the 'Net* Hmmmm...another possibility...
I have a totally "out there" suggestion....how about Jean Alesi, hes French, and about the right build/height for The Stig, but still, why wouldn't they advertise him?
This is a minute hobby/quest me and a work colleague have going, The Stig seems to be a very illusive person.
SC
|
Hi peeps, major new boy here. Got my own suggestion for the Stigs identity. Going on 3 clues, f1 driver, french accent and easy listening, I came up with this:
mypage.bluewin.ch/prostfan/panis.htm
Yes Olivier Panis. As can be seen in the link, he is french (well duh), drives f1 (well duh again) and likes easy listening.
Any thoughts?
Ramses
|
|
|
I just read in the latest Evo magazine's letters page that the Stig could be John Barker, Co-Editor of Evo. Does anyone else have any more clues to the identity of Stig the nutter.
|
|
After last Sunday, he should be easily identifiable by the stains on his trousers.
|
He who got a speeding ticket from the French plod?
Ian Cook
|
|
Says in this month's TG mag he speaks with a strong French accent!?
|
Says in this month's TG mag he speaks with a strong French accent!?
Ah, that'll be Jénsén Buttön Then :o)
|
French accent, though?
Jean Alesi?
Alain Prost?
OK, someone I love not quite so much, but still, French accent?
I do think much of Jenson, by the way.
(Anybody ever establish the one-way top speed of a MK IV Toyota Supra - oh well, never mind - only, it's not bad!)
Tomo
|
Jean Alesi?
Too tall to be him.
Alain Prost?
Ah, you might have stumbled on something there. Is the mask he wears, to hide his crooked nose I wonder?
|
"he speaks with a strong French accent!?"
Sacre bleu.
Zis is clearly wrong.
Les froggies cannot change gear wiz zere left 'ands.
|
Unless it's that policeman in 'Allo 'Allo............
|
Ah, you might have stumbled on something there. Is the mask he wears, to hide his crooked nose I wonder?
Michael Jackson? ;-)
|
>> Ah, you might have stumbled on something there. Is the >> mask he wears, to hide his crooked nose I wonder? Michael Jackson? ;-)
Maybe. Wears gloves as well. No sign of a baby being hung out of the window yet - maybe in tonights eposide though.......
|
|
|
Max Power tried a 1,000hp Supra up and down the A1(M) Alconbury - Peterborough road three days before it opened to the public, apparently it topped 200mph but for obvious reasons there's no firm evidence...
|
Wish I'd seen that, but Max Power is just a bit awkward to have about the house - or for self-conscious old geezers to be seen buying. I wonder how many bits that 1,000hp Supra has in common with a cooking one - the block, perhaps?
Anyway, at 300 or so Toad should be bomb-proof.
Cheers,
Tomo
|
HJ,
Are you trying to tell us that you haven't got an edit button for your own site forum?
|
The French accent thing is a poisson rouge. << red chicken may be appropriate than red herring. Stig seems too large to be JB. His size suits someone smaller like Johnny Herbert or Damon Hill.
|
Up at 160mph, back down at 200 past a few chequered Volvo V70's on bridges apparently, then away into the night...!
Wish I'd seen it too!
|
Threads are getting mixed up here. I had it from the horses mouth (so to speak) that The Stig is Jensen Button,
I'm confused.
On the one hand HJs heard this first hand, and I know he's had the odd brekkie with Carkson. [1]
On the other hand why would JB want to work *at least* on day a week on Top Gear. With the kind of cash he can command a permanant beer money job with no prospect of extra publicity seems unlikely to say the least.
Got anything to add to convince a non believer HJ?
[1] I'm a little Clarksoned out. I used to read his columns in the times as well as watch him on TV but the jokes wearing a little thin with almost a solid hour of of him per week. 20 minute slots is what Jeremy is good at. He soon becomes wearing.
--
These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
|
Clarksoned out...
I still find him interesting, but could really do without all the sycophants in the TG studio each week - it's looking like a huge ego trip for JC.
Interestingly, I found that my weekend of TV watching came up with this
TG is probably the best of the bunch, 5th Gear is OK although Tiff is beginning to annoy me (And we move out of the long and slower Top Gear into the more sporting and interesting 5th Gear), but Driven is the worst of the bunch. Plato was just plain annoying this week, not enough Brewer and only Penny to try and lift the terribleness.
IMHO anyhow
|
but Driven is the worst of the bunch.
THE MAXI!!!! THE MAXI!!!!
It was the best thing I have *ever* seen on TV!!!!
--
These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
|
"It was the best thing I have *ever* seen on TV!"
Do tell! I've not been watching Driven - has it improved?
The best thing I've watched lately was the Barley Pickers' sadly abortive attempt to sling-shot a dead Mini over the horizon (on Scrapheap). The slinging arm bent under the strain, unbalancing the whole thing and causing it to collapse, including a temporarily airborne skip containing 4 tons of lead...
|
|
Poor Barley Pickers. I wish they'd won, because I didn't like the Catalysts at all, especially their team captain. No good-natured rivalry in the manner of Nosher and his ilk.
|
|
Yes, it was a shame, particularly as they had done their sums right, but failed to find the right material for the arm in the scrapyard. The Catalysts only won by default - their launcher was a disappointment - and the BP's device would have been really spectacular if it hadn't broken!
|
True, that was quite good. Liked the bit when another MAXI pulled up behind them on the hard shoulder, but that _might_ have been staged...
|
This thread has got too long really.
If there is enough interest, someone is welcome to start a new thread on the same subject. If they do, I will lock this one.
|
I think it is Damon Hill personally, he has a good connection with the program, (Vanquish bit and the infamous SL55 test on the Motor Show Program) hes game for a laugh and the Stig has his driving slouch!
Jonathon Palmer would be too easy as he owns the Autodrome they film at, no idea who Perry McCarthy is... And i think the frog and music is a red herring if youll excuse the contradiction...
He also cant be a current Driver as they will probably have too strict a schedule to be free to film over a six week period, plus i presume this spring too! (new series)...
Nope my moneys on the fashionably unkempt Damon....
|
|
|
|
|
i beleave the stig is a guy called richard woodland in his 30's from somerset an ex racing driver nebody heard of him?
|
i beleave the stig is a guy called richard woodland...
It's been revealed that it's Perry McCarthy.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=i&t=97...4
|
|
|
|
So...has anyone found out yet who the Stig is? Lot of speculation, few names dropped here and there, but who is he?
For some reason even unknown to myself I though it was Nigel Mansell but he's name hasn't been brought into connection with the Stig anywhere as far as I know.
I think the BBC's French accent is a red herring indeed. Damon Hill sounds quite plausible to me.
I am pretty certain it is a retired F1 driver.
|
I am pretty certain it is a retired F1 driver.
Why?
|
|
|
So...has anyone found out yet who the Stig is?
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=8414&m...e
|
Eh?
Too good to resist ;)
|
I'd love to believe that it is Perry McCarthy, but our Pel's quite a diminutive geezer and the Stig looks a bit tall to me.
I wonder whether it might be a tintop racer...
|
|
Certainly isn't a current F1 man. Race/test/sponsor/promo obligations mean there's no way they'd find time.
|
Try Nicolas Minassian, French Formula 3000 driver.
|
|
...or Julian Bailey, ex F1 man, and taller than Perry McCarthy!
|
|
|
|
|
Hi, Im new to this board. I live in Boston (and Kansas City). Our lame BBC America channel does not show Top Gear. There seems to be no way the see it here in the USA except downloading the episodes on eMule. I have watched 50 or so plus Clarksons Top 100 show, which was so great! It is my favorite car show ever! I am so jealous of the cars you guys get in the UK compared to what we must settle for here in North America.
Anyway about the stig, I always thought that it was just Clarkson with a helmet on. Its not Clarkson? It is funny that they built the element of mystery into of all things a car show!! I really assumed it was Clarkson based on some of the jokes they make.
So if it is not Clarkson who is it??
|
|
As mentioned above in many posts, it has been confirmed that Perry Mcarthy is/was the Stig.
|
|
|
|
