Dave Fowler’s Garage, in Midsomer Norton, recently closed its showroom for the day with the arrival of a film crew and former Top Gear Stig, race and stunt driver, Ben Collins, to film an advert for a car warranty company, due to be broadcast on television in September.

The crew had been looking for a large showroom in the South West and the use of some of the sales cars, with former Formula One racing driver, Sir Stirling Moss, being filmed off site as he endorses the warranty. The crew were at the garage all day, with twenty staff including technicians, film crew, make-up artists and costume.

Ben Collins, from Bristol, began motor racing in 1994 and is a championship-winning Le Mans race car driver and stunt driver, being involved in both James Bond films, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall amongst other films.

His time as Top Gear’s original Stig ended in controversy after his identity was revealed in 2010 by the Daily Telegraph, The Times and two Bristol-based papers. The fiercely secret role saw him coaching hundreds of celebrities around the race track and also testing many priceless cars as part of the programme.