Top Gear's Stig to be unmasked (From York Press)

Top Gear's Stig to be unmasked

2:16pm Wednesday 1st September 2010 in National Entertainment News © Press Association 2011

Top Gear's The Stig will finally be unmasked after the High Court refused to grant a temporary injunction preventing the revelation of his identity.

The BBC had taken legal action to block publication by HarperCollins of an autobiography which would unmask the faceless mystery driver.

Several racing drivers have been linked to the role, including former Formula One world champions Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher and - most recently - racing driver Ben Collins, 33, who was a stunt double for James Bond.

Mr Collins was in court for part of Wednesday's hearing before leaving to return home to Bristol.

The BBC claimed The Stig is bound by a confidentiality agreement and that revealing who he is would spoil viewers' enjoyment of the popular BBC Two programme. But, after more than a day of legal submissions in private before Mr Justice Morgan in London, lawyers for HarperCollins emerged to say the case had concluded in their favour.

Solicitor Robin Shaw said: "The judge has said he is not going to grant an injunction in this case. Reasons are to follow and will be given in a private judgment."

A spokeswoman for the BBC said the judgment did not prevent it from pursuing the matter to a full trial of the issues.

Famous for his race overalls and helmet, the Stig's identity has long been a closely-guarded show secret, spawning T-shirts emblazoned with slogans such as "My Dad is The Stig".

Only executives and Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are said to know who he is.

The current Stig is the second in the role. The first Stig, Perry McCarthy, was dropped in 2003 after his identity was uncovered.