The Stig 'sacked' from Top Gear

... presenter Jeremy Clarkson has revealed.

Clarkson, who co-hosts the popular British motoring television show Top Gear, said a video interview with community news service WitneyTV that he was "hurt" Collins decided to unmask himself as the show's anonymous white-suited driver, the Guardian reported today.

The BBC failed last week to have an injunction granted to stop Collins from publishing his autobiography, which claims he has been The Stig for seven years.

"He's just decided he'd rather be ... put it this way he's history as far as we are concerned. He's sacked," Clarkson told WitneyTV, in the interview published online today.  Clarkson said he felt "a bit hurt really".

"It was such a shock. It was horrible actually because I liked him and he came round to my house and had drinks and all that time he was writing a book," he said.

Clarkson hinted that the Stig as a character may no longer continue on Top Gear, saying: "Trust me, we have many, many thousands of people queueing up to be whatever it is we create."

The BBC took legal action last Wednesday to block publication by HarperCollins of Collins' autobiography.  The BBC had argued that Collins' book, which will be published on September 16, would breach confidentiality obligations.

Top Gear, which airs on Channel 9 in Australia (and previously on SBS), has a reported worldwide audience of about 350 million people, drawn in by its mix of fast cars, crazy stunts and boyish banter between the three male presenters.

The Stig, with his trademark white race overalls, white helmet and dark visor, tests all the cars on the show but his identity is a closely guarded secret.

Collins, 35, has worked as a James Bond stunt double and made his first foray into the high-octane motor sports world in 1994.  He is the second person to play the Stig who has revealed his identity.

Previously another racing driver, Perry McCarthy, played a black-suited Stig but was replaced by Collins as the white Stig in 2003 after McCarthy also revealed his identity in a book.