Anyone who watches Top Gear will have spent the past few years wondering who The Stig really was. Well, he’s The Stig obviously. But who is the man behind the white helmet and gloves?

The original Stig was Perry McCarthy but he got fired after revealing his identity in an autobiography. He was then replaced by the man in this video: Ben Collins, a 33-year-old former race driver and stuntman from Bristol.

This video has actually been on YouTube for over a year but it’s taken this long for The Stig’s secret identity to be revealed in the mainstream press. Now, every newspaper has printed The Stig’s real name, ruining the whole mystique aspect of not knowing who he is.

There was speculation that The Stig was Damon Hill, or one of a number of other household names. To find out he’s a normal guy with a wife and a modest house in Bristol is a little disappointing.

The question now is: Will Ben Collins keep his Top Gear job now his cover has been blown?