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Bbc Set To Sack The Stig From Top Gear After Identity Revealed

adznight

By adznight,
in Victoria

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adznight Newbie

adznight

Posted
Posted

How much does that suck!

THE BBC is poised to axe its mysterious test driver The Stig on its high-rating Top Gear show after his secret identity was revealed in court.

Britain's High Court yesterday refused to grant a temporary injunction preventing the revelation of former racing and stunt driver Ben Collins' alter ego.

The BBC had taken legal action yesterday to block publication by HarperCollins of Collins' autobiography.

The BBC argued he was bound by a confidentiality agreement and revealing his identity would spoil viewers' "fun".

Collins, 35, whose face was hidden by his helmet's tinted visor, also trained in hand-to-hand combat with Britain's SAS before passing on his driving skills.

The Sun reported insiders saying Collins, from Bristol, would get the push when Top Gear returned for its 16th series this year.

One said: "Bosses are livid. There's no way they'll welcome him back. He's contracted on a series basis... Producers are still deciding whether to axe The Stig entirely or bring him back as someone else."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/...o-1225913699981

063603-dtstory-ben-collins.jpg

That's like telling a child that Santa and the Easter Bunny aren't real...

Mr. Keets Grand Master

Mr. Keets

Posted
Posted

BRITISH racing driver Ben Collins has been "sacked" from his TV role after revealing he is the mystery driver known as The Stig, presenter Jeremy Clarkson has revealed.

Clarkson, who co-hosts the popular British motoring television show Top Gear, said a video interview with community news service WitneyTV that he was "hurt" Collins decided to unmask himself as the show's anonymous white-suited driver, the Guardian reported today.

The BBC failed last week to have an injunction granted to stop Collins from publishing his autobiography, which claims he has been The Stig for seven years.

"He's just decided he'd rather be ... put it this way he's history as far as we are concerned. He's sacked," Clarkson told WitneyTV, in the interview published online today.

Mr. Keets Grand Master

Mr. Keets

Posted
Posted

Considering the mountains of money that the boys have made from this I'm disappointed the wouldnt let Collins share in the loot by publishing a book. Perhaps he should have published as The Stig. Maybe he tried and the he was'nt allowed....who know. In 10 minutes I wont care

pattyd89 Contributor

pattyd89

Posted
Posted
Considering the mountains of money that the boys have made from this I'm disappointed the wouldnt let Collins share in the loot by publishing a book. Perhaps he should have published as The Stig. Maybe he tried and the he was'nt allowed....who know. In 10 minutes I wont care

yes but you can look at the other side of the spectrum - he was making $10,000 gbp per episode.

I'm thinking that is an hours work. All he would do is drive the car around the track a few times, and that would most likely be it. The rest of it would be down to the camera and production crew to find and edit his best lap, put in a funny stereo sound track etc.

usmair Mentor

usmair

Posted
Posted

To me The Stig is as big as part of Top Gear as Jeremey, Richard & James... it wont be the same without him... but if his loyalty was to more $$ than the show then so be it...

They'll have to get someone else on to do the fast laps...

FrangaR33 Mentor

FrangaR33

Posted
Posted
yes but you can look at the other side of the spectrum - he was making $10,000 gbp per episode.

I'm thinking that is an hours work. All he would do is drive the car around the track a few times, and that would most likely be it. The rest of it would be down to the camera and production crew to find and edit his best lap, put in a funny stereo sound track etc.

Doesnt matter, its about proportion, he was getting paid 75k GBP a year yet Hammond, May and Clarkson get at least that an episode plus their columns and other television work. I think Ben Collins did deserve more money and I think he was a champ to put up with getting paid f**k all compared with the rest of them for this long.

R31Nismoid Grand Master

R31Nismoid

Posted
Posted
yes but you can look at the other side of the spectrum - he was making $10,000 gbp per episode.

I'm thinking that is an hours work. All he would do is drive the car around the track a few times, and that would most likely be it. The rest of it would be down to the camera and production crew to find and edit his best lap, put in a funny stereo sound track etc.

lol @ an hours work.

I think you'd find it'd be signifigantly more than that. It's hardly like the guy gets out there for one lap.

On location you'd be looking at a full day, if not more. Plus the guy has to maintain skills and so on which is more time.

Considering what the show makes money wise, 10k GBP is a very good deal IMO. Obviously he could/wanted/should have got a lot more but all depends on how you view it.

JEPPE Mentor

JEPPE

Posted
Posted

If he was getting paid less then the others proportionately that's fair enough that he does what he wants, imo it's 4 peeps on that show, not 3... maybe when he signed the contract he thought that would be enough.

Anyway, it's ghey that there is any conflict, no matter who's fault it is.

R31Nismoid Grand Master

R31Nismoid

Posted
Posted
as if he only got 75k p.a

In GBP no less!

Even if he did, for the 1, maybe 1.5days each time filming was being done - he could have earnt a lazy 50k doing whatever else.

125k in pound is pretty fken good money in anyones terms. :(

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