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I remember reading that the BBC had as many as FOUR people playing the Stig with actors taking Collins' place for certain areas like for instance the Blackpool "one tank" race where he was sent as backup in case the 3 never made it.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1
Certain marques did send their own drivers when Top Gear wanted to do a 'hot lap' test, both for insurance to avoid damage to the car, and to make sure that they are represented in the best light!
And we all know that when 'The Stig' did a lap in a Reanult F1 car it was actually Heikki Kovalinen.
They need a Stig....his "Character" is a useful comic foil. Watching the "Race" across London and watching the bits with the Stig crossing the city on the bus and tube was priceless stuff.....
So if Ben Collins don't want the gig, someone will wear the uni of the "tame" racing driver....
Of course they will need to make it clear that the 'new' Stig is not Ben Collins. But they've killed the Stig before, no reason they can't do it again. But Clarkson has hinted they might go for something different than another Stig.
Some say they ran out of good "some say jokes.." years ago and they should be done with it already, all we know is that it just might be better to have a real driver/drivers instead of helmet and overalls. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
The Stig is the 4th member of the show...and now that they will change the show to reflect he is gone, that is fine..but I do think a comic foil of some sort mixed with their evaluator wouldn't be a bad thing.
I think in the end, they wont stray far from the concept.....but you likely will right, it wont be the Stig...
As for the comment the "some say" jokes got old...I don't think so....if Clarkson had a better writers there is endless amounts of good lines that could have been taken out...corny yes, funny yes....part of the show.....YES.
Ben Collins is an absolute prat. What a sell out.
He was a NOTHING driver until Top Gear and now he is having a pop at Clarkson and the BBC?! They made him who he is.
He is a bloody stunt driver, that is all.
I would tend to agree. It's not like he was a household name before Top Gear, only a few people knew who he was beforehand. I guess some don't know when they're onto a good thing!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bezza
My suspicion was that he'd intended to quit the show anyway.
With Christmas coming up he obviously wanted to join the bandwagon and make an extra bob or two with a book.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
Can't imagine it would be useful reading to up and coming racers looking for sponsorship as in Perry McCarthy's though gone are the days of manually editing, cutting and pasting race reports!
Saying that, the team who prepped the TG cars for the Britcar 24hrs aren't chuffed at Clarkson, et al either.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bezza
I continue to be amazed and a bit saddened about the amount of fuss being made over what is, when all is said and done, a bloke who used to appear in a white suit on a motoring programme on the TV.
yey! a Stiguette !! :dozey:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
The problem with an identifiable character is that they would then be expected to play a bigger role in the programme, and be a good presenter too. The only racing driver I've seen who would make a good presenter is Jason Plato and he's already employed at 'the other side'!
I think Coulthard and Anthony Davidson have shown that they are good on camara. But I'm not sure how a fourth presenter would work.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
The only reason he's a household name now is because he released a book. The Beeb wanted to carry on without anyone 'knowing' who he was.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
I agree with Mr Dunnell though, it's sad that there is so much fuss about it.
Is there not a Top Gear live arena show in November in which the/a Stig normally plays a prominent part.
Assuming Ben 'traitor' Collins has been relieved of his employment with Top Gear, what are the implications for the show.. a stand in Stig for the show... simply carry on without him... use it to officially kill of 'white' Stig?
I suppose it's anyone’s guess
Goes to show how successful TG is.Quote:
Originally Posted by BDunnell
The Stig is more famous than most people elected to public office outside of a select few Ben. Is that a point that makes you wonder? I suppose.Quote:
Originally Posted by BDunnell
Hey, I love the part and role the "Stig" played as the tame racing driver.
I don't think in retrospect they should have another. I think they need to bring in a racing driver as a staff member and just get on with it. While we loved the humour and the questions of who the Stig is, after this go around, I think they have flogged it long enough.
I also think the American's version of Top Gear shouldn't even try to have a Stig. Just get Paul Tracy and let him loose. He will thrash the hell out of a car trying to get a good lap, and entertain you the whole time with his off the cuff motor mouth.....maybe there is a gent like that on the loose with nothing to do with Nomex in his closet in the UK? Maybe an Eddie Irvine or something?
Some say....
...that Channel 5 is creatively bankrupt and can only exist by ripping off ideas from other channels. Hence Fifth Gear announcing that their newest recruit is none other than Ben Collins.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010...gear-channel-5
PS, I love one of the comments on the Guardian article:
Quote:
Like inviting the guy inside the Mickey Mouse suit at Disneyworld to come to your kid's birthday party - but without the Mickey Mouse suit.
Fifth Gear hired Ben Collins? Man...does this ever sound sad or WHAT?Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Brockman
Ahaaa! Now it all becomes perfectly clear. He had no intention of returning to Top Gear and thus needed to reveal himself as 'The Stig' in order to gain enough publicity for his new job on Fifth Gear.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave B
As you say, pretty crap really :s . And it's not like Fifth Gear didn't already have a pretty decent 'tame racing driver' in the shape of Jason Plato!
I would wager Plato is faster than Ben....but I suppose it would be REAL close...Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
I would agree. Plato is a touring car champion. What has Collins done?
He made a POS car go as fast as any of the F1 shoes that drove it.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
And he won some stock car championship...and run f3...so it isn't like he is a ****er....
But Plato to me is a better driver than many give him credit for....
It's no surprise he was fast in the Liana, but not as fast as Rubens. As he's driven that track in that car hundreds of times.
I would think there's a couple of hundred decent racing drivers, some of them former touring car or other championship winners/contenders who will quite happily jump into the famous white suit.
The Stig is not dead, for he is rebourn....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
They raced against each other in ASCAR as far as I remember.
Plato won, but Collins had a team made up of just TA lads with basic mechanical knowledge.
Hazell, how's the Stig...I mean Naburn?
Fifth Gear starts on Friday. I saw an advert last night saying it featured "The man who used to be The Stig", add a quick shot of him standing wearing coloured overalls but doing the usual Stig arms folded pose.
It's all rather pathetic.
Given that there was always more than one Stig the character could, and always did, continue without missing a heartbeat, that is if the Stig has a heartbeat :p and if the BBC still want Stig to be a part of the show.Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlMetro
what's the past tense of Stig, Stag? :p
In Swedish it's stiga, steg, stigit.Quote:
Originally Posted by donKey jote
I got tickets to USA Top Gear!
One week from tomorrow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 52Paddy
Funny but bad episode. We all know now that these races are set up, yet they keep going. Didn't find it entertaining at all. The 'black' Merc did seem nice though
http://moviesonlineworld.com
Which episode? And Clarkson has explained many times that the races aren't 'set up' other than the fact that when they first devise them they know that it's going to be a very close finish - There wouldn't be any point in doing it otherwise.Quote:
Originally Posted by evelynz8735
PS I've deleted your ad, no adverts allowed in posts!
Hi !
I've just visited this forum. Happy to get acquainted with you. Thanks.
Old, fat, going blind and a bit stinky :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Eki
The past tense of Stig is 'wannabe talk show cannon fodder' I guess.
Shame, I was a fan of his when he was himself.
Well, just watched a "60 Minutes" interview with the whole gang. Great stuff. :)
The whole "stug" issue made me watch my first ever "fifth Gear" a couple of weeks ago.
I'm sorry I hadn't done so before... it really shows up the Top Gear trio as the buffoons they are.
I still like Top Gear mind you, specially some of the epic episodes (Alaska comes to mind), but I'll be watching both from now on: Top Gear for the schoolboy humour and fifth Gear for the auto reviews :)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11621083Quote:
Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson caused offence when he described a car as "speciale needs" - a play on its proper name, Ferrari F430 Speciale.
Media regulator Ofcom investigated after receiving two complaints.
Two complaints :eek: :rolleyes: Did Ofcom survive the spending review, because they must be very busy investigating all these complaints.
They're being merged with Postcomm, not sure what practical effect that will have but they're pretty hopeless at the moment.