The Stig Reveals Top Gear's Wildest Moments: "Like Playing An Accordion At 160mph!"

Perry McCarthy's interview sheds light on his funniest and most challenging moments on Top Gear

In an exclusive interview with Sports Illustrated's Alex Harrington, former Top Gear Stig Perry McCarthy shared his most memorable experiences, including a comically chaotic segment with Jamie Oliver and a challenging drive in a Pagani Zonda. McCarthy's anecdotes offer a unique glimpse into the behind-the-scenes action of the iconic show.

Read the full interview here.

Key Takeaways:

• Jamie Oliver's Hilarious Episode: McCarthy recalls an episode with Jamie Oliver, where they filmed in a Volkswagen Campervan with a Porsche engine. After a high-speed lap that left Oliver making a salad in the back, they ended up with a completely "tossed salad" and a scene filled with laughter.
• Pagani Zonda's Steering Challenge: Another standout moment was McCarthy's drive in a Pagani Zonda on a wet track. The steering wheel mechanism was broken, making it move in and out and up and down, likening the experience to "playing an accordion at 160 miles an hour."
• Behind-the-Scenes Insights: These stories provide a rare look into the humorous and unpredictable moments that occur off-camera on Top Gear, highlighting the show's blend of automotive enthusiasm and entertainment.

Former Stig and renowned racing driver Perry McCarthy recently sat down to reminisce about his time on the BBC's hit show, Top Gear. Known for his anonymous role as the original 'Stig', McCarthy's tenure on the show was filled with high-speed thrills and unforgettable moments. These are merely a fraction of what he got up to on the BBC car show. 

One of the standout anecdotes involved celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. McCarthy described how, after filming a segment for 'A Star in a Reasonably Priced Car', they took an unusual vehicle around the track – a Volkswagen Campervan.

He recalled:

"There were a couple of funny moments, actually. One of them was involving 'A Star in a Reasonably Priced Car' when we had Jamie Oliver on and Jamie, we did the stuff in the Suzuki Liana where I showed him how to drive and he gets the hang of the track and then goes out and sets his own lap time.

"But afterward, we did a bit of filming in a Volkswagen Campervan that Jamie had brought down."

Of course, being Top Gear, the Campervan wasn't just a campervan.

"But it was a special one, because this Volkswagen Campervan had a Porsche engine fitted in it, and we did a bit of filming where I took him around the track as fast as possible while he made a salad in the back.

"And believe me, by the time we got back, that was one tossed salad, I tell you! He was upside down, food everywhere, and we slid the door open at the end and it was just all in hysterics.

"It was pretty funny."

Part of The Stig's role on Top Gear was testing the latest in high-powered sports cars around the legendary test track, Dunsfold Aerodrome. He's bully them around the track and post a time worthy of the car, which was then placed on a board for comparison. 

"The other one was actually with a higher powered car called the Pagani Zonda," Perry told me, grinning. "And it was great. I mean, the thing is incredibly fast. 

"But the biggest problem I had with it was that we were on a wet track. That's not the problem, but the clip underneath the steering wheel that you undo to bring the steering wheel towards you or lower it or make it go higher, et cetera.

"Well, that had broken. So I'm now going around in this thing, flat out, and not just steering it, but with the steering wheel going in and out and up and down.

"It's like playing an accordion at 160 miles an hour."

After twenty years of the rebooted Top Gear, the show has finally come to and end. And it's interviews like this that make me wish it hadn't. 

Thanks to OLBG for setting up the interview.