Top Gear’s original Black Stig, the mysterious expert racing driver with a mirrored visor concealing his face, will be revealed to his fans, including many from Ross-on-Wye, at The Courtyard in Hereford, on Sunday, November 8th.

Perry McCarthy, who we now know played the Stig in Top Gear from series one to three, spoke to the Ross Gazette about his upcoming theatrical appearance, his time on Top Gear and his career as a Formula One racing driver.

“I had an adventurous career in motor racing,” he recounted. He had written an autobiography, ‘Flat Out, Flat Broke,’ about his experience where he relentlessly broke in to the world’s most expensive sport without any racing experience or cash.

The book’s launch party in London was attended by many of McCarthy’s friends from Formula One. Jeremy Clarkson was also in attendance.

Clarkson explained to McCarthy that he was looking at re-launching the motoring television programme, Top Gear. Clarkson said that he had a vision for a mysterious presenter, who dressed in black, and never spoke. He wanted to call this character, ‘The Gimp.’ McCarthy at first refused, saying the name of the character was a “dealbreaker.” Clarkson later came back to McCarthy with a new name, and The Stig was born.

McCarthy explained that his work on Top Gear was a lot of fun. “Hearing an engine begging for its life is music to my ears,” he said, “And working with Jeremy is always fun.”

To keep his secret identity from getting out, when he was required to speak, such as instructing the celebrity guests on the show when driving the reasonably priced car, he would put on a French accent. However, some of the celebrities who appeared on the show, particularly the professional racing drivers, worked out the Stig was McCarthy; they knew him, and his mannerisms well, but they kept the secret.

McCarthy explained that after Top Gear’s first series, a member of the production team was fired. This person went to the tabloid, The Sunday Mirror, naming Perry McCarthy as The Stig. McCarthy denied he was the character.

In series three, Black Stig was killed off in the first episode. There was some speculation surrounding why McCarthy had left the show; some believed he was fired because he had revealed he was The Stig in his autobiography. However, McCarthy states this was not the case.

McCarthy explained he had finished his book a couple of months before he got the role of the Stig. After he decided to leave the show, he added a couple of extra pages, describing his experience as the character.

He says he left the show for a combination of reasons; during filming, a classic Jaguar was damaged, and he was branded a hooligan. The BBC couldn’t defend him, due to his anonymity. He added: “Commercially, they wouldn’t budge, and I thought I was valued at x, y and z.”

For many years, he has been delivering motivational and business speeches, and making after dinner appearances to corporate groups.

“Everything’s great, but this theatre tour gives the chance for the general public, who haven’t really been able to engage with me before, that opportunity. They can ask their own questions and talk to me one to one.”

For more information about McCarthy's appearance at the Courtyard theatre, visit: www.courtyard.org.uk/events/an-audience-with-perry-mccarthy-the-stig/