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Perry McCarthy The Black Stig

Perry McCarthy as The Black Stig.

Perry McCarthy was the former Formula 1 driver known for playing the first incarnation of The Stig from 2002 - 2003. He was relieved of his role during filming for the third series of Top Gear, when it had transpired that he had violated non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) put in place by the production team upon the re-release of his autobiography, Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 the Hard Way! in September 2003, one month before the show's premiere in October that year.

During his brief tenure as the show's tame racing driver, McCarthy wore an all-black racing suit in contrast to the signature white outfit worn by later Stigs. He was also not as infallible as later Stigs would be made to appear, often spinning out and losing control of the cars he was ordered to test.

For Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car segments, he would often fool celebrities of his identity by putting on a faux French accent, mistaken by some as German, leading a handful to believe that they were being tutored by multiple-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher, under which suspicions McCarthy would affirm. The accent also led speculators to consider several French drivers such as Jean Alesi.

Once his admittance of playing The Stig had been revealed in 2003, he was promptly fired from the show and his Stig killed off, after driving the modified Jaguar XJS the team had built off the HMS Invicible and into the sea. A small tribute would play the following episode, before his replacement, a white-suited Stig portrayed by Ben Collins, would debut.

Cast of Top Gear
Present Cast Chris Harris | Freddie Flintoff | Paddy McGuinness | The Stig
Former Cast (2002 format) Sabine Schmitz | Eddie Jordan | Rory Reid | Matt LeBlanc | Chris Evans | James May | Richard Hammond | Jeremy Clarkson | Ben Collins | Top Gear Stunt Man | Top Gear Dog | Perry McCarthy | Jason Dawe
Former Cast (1977 format) Andy Wilman | Jason Barlow | Tiff Needell | Vicki Butler-Henderson | Adrian Simpson | Quentin Willson | Kate Humble | Steve Berry | Julia Bradbury | Brendan Coogan | Tony Mason | Michele Newman | Jon Bentley | Chris Goffey | Janet Trewin | Nicky Fox | Steve Lee | William Woollard | Sue Baker | Beki Adam | Tom Boswell | Vic Allan | Frank Page | Peter Burgess | Bob Friend | Judith Jackson | Stewart Woodcock | Noel Edmonds | Mike Dornan | Gill Pyrah | Barrie Gill | Angela Rippon | Presenters with less than 5 appearances
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