Forum home› Road cycling forum› The bottom bracket

The New Stig

GazzaputtGazzaputt Posts: 3,227
edited September 2010 in The bottom bracket
Who do you think they'll get to replace the outgoing Stig Ben Collins?

Oliver Gavin I think.
«1

Posts

  • jim453jim453 Posts: 1,360
    Isn't the idea that it's a secret. And when it stops being a secret they get some other goon to do it.

    This Oliver Gavins career is dead in the water then.
  • GazzaputtGazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    jim453 wrote:
    Isn't the idea that it's a secret. And when it stops being a secret they get some other goon to do it.

    This Oliver Gavins career is dead in the water then.

    Goon nice description.
  • stage_frightstage_fright Posts: 218
    I'd have thought that Ollie Gavin was doing quite nicely racing for Chevrolet in ALMS etc to need any TV work - plus the height would be a give away lol.

    Odd the court case going on about the current Stig - who may or may not be Ben - giving away his identity in a book. Doing so means no more Stigging, so does this tally with what the Top Gear production team were sayinga while ago abouyt the format getting near the end of its shelf life? For a while now it has been light entertainment rather than a motoring programme, three middle-aged guys having fun and looking about in cool cars.

    Wad in the media room at Silverstone 2-3 years ago when the Top Gear trio did the Britcar 24-Hour race, and the Stig was there in full livery waiting to make an entrance into the drivers briefing. Having met Ben on and off over the years going back to F3 in the late 90s - if it is him, he is excellent at not breaking out of character as there was not a flicker of recognition for myself or anyone else there.
    Chocolate makes your clothes shrink
  • plowmarplowmar Posts: 1,032
    How does knowing his name create a problem?

    Why don't they just sack him and then take him back.? Without letting on.

    I'd heard that the book was anonymous. - today's Indy
  • turkeyticklerturkeytickler Posts: 640
    Glad to see in these austere times that license fee payer's money is being put to good use in pursuing this trivia through the courts....
  • deptfordmarmosetdeptfordmarmoset Posts: 3,118
    plowmar wrote:
    How does knowing his name create a problem?

    Why don't they just sack him and then take him back.? Without letting on.

    I'd heard that the book was anonymous. - today's Indy

    I like your style :wink:

    I fear though that he might find himself stigmatised at the BBC
    Looking for a cycling buddy?
  • mrushtonmrushton Posts: 5,182
    Actually prob. only 50% is from the license fee as Clarkson and his colleague the Producer of Top Gear own the other 50%
    M.Rushton
  • turkeyticklerturkeytickler Posts: 640
    mrushton wrote:
    Actually prob. only 50% is from the license fee as Clarkson and his colleague the Producer of Top Gear own the other 50%
    thank you, that makes it 100% better! 50% better because its 50% less license fee wasted, and another 50% better because he is spending his own money one it - perfect :D
  • alfabluealfablue Posts: 8,497
    Well Top Gear was the best selling show for BBC Worldwide which earned £200m revenue last year, in effect the show subsidises the BBC / licence fee.
  • freehubfreehub Posts: 4,257
    Clarkons pays for some of Top Gear himselve?
  • turkeyticklerturkeytickler Posts: 640
    alfablue wrote:
    Well Top Gear was the best selling show for BBC Worldwide which earned £200m revenue last year, in effect the show subsidises the BBC / licence fee.
    Good, thats even better, they could increase the subsidy further by not pursuing this through the courts....
  • alfabluealfablue Posts: 8,497
    freehub wrote:
    Clarkons pays for some of Top Gear himselve?
    No, Top Gear pays Clarkson
  • alfabluealfablue Posts: 8,497
    turkeytickler wrote:
    alfablue wrote:
    Well Top Gear was the best selling show for BBC Worldwide which earned £200m revenue last year, in effect the show subsidises the BBC / licence fee.
    Good, thats even better, they could increase the subsidy further by not pursuing this through the courts....
    It may pay to protect your product.
  • turkeyticklerturkeytickler Posts: 640
    alfablue wrote:
    turkeytickler wrote:
    alfablue wrote:
    Well Top Gear was the best selling show for BBC Worldwide which earned £200m revenue last year, in effect the show subsidises the BBC / licence fee.
    Good, thats even better, they could increase the subsidy further by not pursuing this through the courts....
    It may pay to protect your product.
    fair point
  • alfabluealfablue Posts: 8,497
    I think that is what it is about, part of the show's success is the characters, Stig being one, and his anonymity contributes to a lot of the gags. These wouldn't work without anonymity.
  • GazzaputtGazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    plowmar wrote:
    How does knowing his name create a problem?

    Why don't they just sack him and then take him back.? Without letting on.

    I'd heard that the book was anonymous. - today's Indy

    Because he resigned.
  • mrushtonmrushton Posts: 5,182
    alfablue wrote:
    freehub wrote:
    Clarkons pays for some of Top Gear himselve?
    No, Top Gear pays Clarkson

    Some years back, Top Gear was taken off the BBC. The BBC couldn't see the future in it and Clarkson bought the rights (or at least 50%) to the name. His business partner is the Producer of TG. So Clarkson gets a wedge from the mags/birthday cakes/anything bearing the Top Gear logo. He supposedly made £800k last year.
    M.Rushton
  • giant_mangiant_man Posts: 6,878
    Getting sick of this ridiculous 'format' and would be pleased to see the back of it. Who gives a $hit who it is anyway? Does it matter ffs?
  • alfabluealfablue Posts: 8,497
    It only matters if you are interested, if you aren't it doesn't

    :)
  • ilm_zero7ilm_zero7 Posts: 2,213
    plowmar wrote:
    How does knowing his name create a problem?

    Why don't they just sack him and then take him back.? Without letting on.

    I'd heard that the book was anonymous. - today's Indy

    surely every body knew it was BC - I even got introduced to him as "Ben,,, hes the Stig you know"
    http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
    Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR2
  • louthepoolouthepoo Posts: 223
    couldn't give a rats about top gear since it became more of a set up entertainment show than a car show. I doubt it'll finish anytime soon as its making money for the beeb. I just wish hammond didn't have to go through his mid life crisis in front of the nation, looking like a gay lion with a kids wooden necklace!
    Riding a Merida FLX Carbon Team D Ultralite Nano from Mike at Ace Ultra Cycles, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton 01902 725444
  • CunobelinCunobelin Posts: 11,792
    Top Gear is notorious for its poor care of cars.

    Most writers know that if TG gets the demo before you do then there is absolutely no chance of it being drivable by the time they have finished with it!

    Even private cars are not safe:

    One guy lent them a £1 million Jaguar raced at the 1953 Le Mans (only one of 3 in the world) for a special. When it was returned the gearbox and clutch were burned out, the tyres shredded and the drive shafts bent. Repairs cost
    Top Gear blamed for car damage
    Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson
    Top Gear, which is hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, is famous for its car tests
    BBC motoring show Top Gear has been blamed by the owner of a £1m Jaguar for damaging the car during a test drive.

    The C-type Jaguar - one of only three in the world and a veteran of the gruelling Le Mans race - was reportedly left with clutch and tyre damage after the test drive.

    Its owner, Adrian Hamilton, offered the car to the show to mark the 50th anniversary of his father driving it in the Le Mans 24 Hours in France in 1953.

    Mr Hamilton, from Hook in Hampshire, told London's Evening Standard: "It was a very shabby thing for them to do and left the car needing a lot of expensive work which I am expecting the BBC to pay for."

    Mr Hamilton alleged the test driver had burnt out the back tyre, destroyed the clutch and twisted the drive shaft.

    A BBC spokeswoman said: "Mr Adrian Hamilton approached the BBC to offer his C-Type Jaguar for Top Gear to test on the programme.

    "Production staff made clear to Mr Hamilton that the nature of the programme meant the car would be driven hard. Mr Hamilton readily agreed to this," she said. "Top Gear had no intention of causing distress to Mr Hamilton and is currently in discussion with him about covering repair costs."

    BBC News


    Then add the (alleged) if you want a good review don't ask for the car to be returned trick and the concept gets even shabbier!
    <b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
    He that buys flesh buys many bones.
    He that buys eggs buys many shells,
    But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
    (Unattributed Trad.)
  • alfabluealfablue Posts: 8,497
    Which is quite hilarious!

    Manufacturers know the best exposure they can get, and which money can't buy, is being on Top Gear. That's why they get so many high end cars to thrash. Even Kia seemed to deem the risk (of weekly ridicule) worthwhile.
  • edhornbyedhornby Posts: 1,780
    it's been said that the kit car lancia stratos alike was lent in working order and they drove it into the ground then started filming, then slagged it off, waited until the track was relatively wet to drive it in a comedy style to make it look uncontrollable, then handed it back

    it's an entertaining programme (actually was, the last 3 series have been slack) but it's an entertainment format and nowhere near representative of what the cars are like.
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • ilm_zero7ilm_zero7 Posts: 2,213
    louthepoo wrote:
    couldn't give a rats about top gear since it became more of a set up entertainment show than a car show. I doubt it'll finish anytime soon as its making money for the beeb. I just wish hammond didn't have to go through his mid life crisis in front of the nation, looking like a gay lion with a kids wooden necklace!

    exactly - stopped watching the show on a regular basis - there were times when I would never miss, now cant be bothered to watch caravans being hurled and stpid illegal racing across continents and making the Brits look loutish abroad as if it were a sport

    opening for a real motoring programme with real presenters who are less concerned about their ego, and grossly inflated salaries
    http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
    Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR2
  • mrushtonmrushton Posts: 5,182
    I'm afraid that the presenters are in the TV industry ie showbusiness and for most of them it is ALL about their ego and salary. That's why journo's leave newspapers if they get chance and TV is full of attractive women fronting many programmes. They aren't necessarily better journalists - they look better as well. There isn't a real motoring programme - it would be dreary. Watch an old episode with William Woolard and Raymond Baxter. Yes it was informative but it was dull. People actually enjoy seeing a Bugatti Veyron race a plane or a Ferrari get to Switzerland from London faster than public transport.
    As for the manufacturers - it's free advertising. So a car gets trashed. To a maker like GM,Ford,Mercedes it's included in the ad.budget and the parts can prob.get reused.
    M.Rushton
  • GazzaputtGazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    FFS I wasn't asking if you liked the show or not was I?

    Just a light hearted maybe even humorous reply on the new stig reply would suffice.
  • invincibleinvincible Posts: 154
    did i hear it correct that the stig wears Jens Voigt pajamas???
  • jim453jim453 Posts: 1,360
    louthepoo wrote:
    couldn't give a rats about top gear since it became more of a set up entertainment show than a car show. I doubt it'll finish anytime soon as its making money for the beeb. I just wish hammond didn't have to go through his mid life crisis in front of the nation, looking like a gay lion with a kids wooden necklace!


    Very accurate description of that Hammond knob. He has to be one of the most tragic sights on television.
  • TonymufcTonymufc Posts: 1,016
    If any of you have seen my missus drive you'd put your money on it being her that was the new Stig. It just so happens that, that is the name I have now given her.
Sign In or Register to comment.