BEN Collins – formerly known as The Stig from cult TV show Top Gear – has said people had become too accustomed to him being on the programme.

Speaking at the signing for his book The Man in the White Suit in Canary Wharf, Collins said the TV job had become limiting and he was now concentrating on the Le Mans series with his racing team.

Fans queued up to meet the 35-year-old racing car driver whose identity was finally revealed when he left the show after seven years.

He said: “Like in any relationship, the one who is left behind feels aggrieved but it was the right time to move on for both of us and I made the right decision.

“I worked extremely hard on the show driving the cars to the best of my ability and coming up with ideas to make the show entertaining.”

He added it was a dream job but now he is excited for the new challenges ahead which include presenting on Fifth Gear.

“I drove over 200 cars on Top Gear for seven years. Now I want to win the Le Mans 24 hour Race with my team and will put everything into that. Before I didn’t have the time to fully commit as my diary was dominated by the show,” he added.

The BBC recently dropped legal proceedings against Collins after losing a High Court battle to prevent him publishing the book which reveals his hidden identity.