From CBeebies’ Let’s Go For a Walk to Countryfile and Animal Park
(Picture: BBC)Hamza Yassin is currently on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing, paired with Polish professional ballroom dancer Jowita Przystal.
In the first live show, the couple topped the leaderboard with two eights and two nines, dancing a foxtrot to Islands in the Stream. In the second week, he received constructive criticism and melted viewers’ hearts after telling Claudia Winkleman: “I’m just too big to jive.”
On joining Strictly, he told Hello!, “The family quickly knew and then the village knew. I live in a place with 150 people, the jungle drums went, are the rumours true?! They’re all behind me, they’re all supportive so really, really lovely to have that.”
So, who is Hamza Yassin? Here is everything you need to know about the Strictly star.
Who is Hamza Yassin?
Hamza Yassin is a 32-year-old Sudanese-born TV presenter and cameraman. He moved to Northhampton when he was eight.
After taking a holiday with a university friend to the Ardnamurchan peninsula - one of the most remote areas of Scotland - he fell in love with the nature and wildlife. And, after that, he spent one week convincing his parents of his plans to relocate and set off for the village of Kilchoan, in the West Highlands.
At 21, he decided to pack up his things and drive almost 500 miles away to start a new life.
For almost a year, he lived in his estate car, washing his clothes at the community centre and using the public toilets on the jetty.
After making friends with the locals, he lived in empty holiday homes for several years before finally buying a place of his own.
Hamza has a degree in Zoology with Conservation from Bangor University and a Masters in Biological Imaging and Photography from the University of Nottingham.
He went on to become a published wildlife photographer and a tour guide, and is also a skilled ornithologist (in other words, an expert in birds).
You might know him from the BBC’s Countryfile, where he is a guest presenter. He is also one of the hosts of the BBC’s documentary series, Animal Park, which is filmed at Longleat Safari Park.
Younger fans will know Hamza for appearing as Ranger Hamza in the CBeebies programme Let’s Go For a Walk.
He has also appeared on ITV daytime show This Morning and has published a Let’s Go For A Walk companion book, as well as filmed and presented Channel 4 shows Scotland: My Life in the Wild and Scotland: Escape to the Wilderness.
Hamza and his dyslexia
Hamza likes to keep his personal life out of the spotlight but is a huge advocate for dyslexia awareness, and has spoken about it being the reason he wanted to take part in Strictly Come Dancing. “I really wanted to take part because, anywhere you go in the UK, everybody knows about it [Strictly] and loves it,” he said, ahead of the show.
“Also, because I am severely dyslexic, I really want to take this opportunity to show kids who are dyslexic that it’s not a hindrance, it’s a gift.
“And, finally, I love dancing, and I’m going to get the chance to be paired with a professional dancer and to learn some amazing routines. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, of course, I had to say yes!”
He told the Daily Record: “l truly believe my dyslexia is my gift and I am the man I am now because of it. If I can connect with one struggling kid who thinks he or she is not going to be anybody, if that kid can say, look at Hamza, he has dyslexia but he is living his dream, I’d be happy.”
