Strictly: Hamza Yassin’s adventurous past – living in car and washing in public toilets
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Strictly: Hamza and Jowita dance to Jurassic Park
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For Hamza Yassin, Strictly Come Dancing is just the latest in a long list of adventures.
At 32, the CBeebies presenter and wildlife cameraman has already enjoyed a vastly successful career, starring on Countryfile, Animal Park and The One Show.
But Hamza first had to pack up his life and embrace the unknown, before getting to where he is today.
Having arrived in the UK from Sudan when he was eight, Hamza was raised in Northampton and he went on to study zoology at the Bangor University.
But a trip to the Ardnamurchan peninsula – one of the most remote areas of Scotland – with a friend from university, changed his life.
Immediately, he fell in love with the region’s wildlife, in particular the golden eagles and the red deer. Then 21, he spent a week persuading his parents to let him relocate, before setting off from home to start a new life 500 miles away.
After moving to Kilchoan in the West Highlands, Hamza spent almost a year living in his estate car, washing his clothes at the community centre and using the public toilets on the jetty.
The former boy Scout went on to spend years living in empty holiday homes, before finally buying a place of his home.
Hamza also built close relationships with the locals, who now know who to go-to with news of a wildlife sighting.
He told the Daily Record: “Everybody knows what I do and I have 150 pairs of eyes on wildlife for me. Someone will tell me, ‘Hamza, there’s buzzards nesting in the tree.’ It’s lovely to have that relationship’.”
But for now his focus has shifted from foxes to the foxtrot, as he and Countryfile co-star Helen Skelton both continue their Strictly Come Dancing journey.
Viewers should not expect to see much competition between the pair, however, as Hamza has previously insisted all of the contestants are in it together.
Who do you think will win Strictly Come Dancing this year? Have your say in the comments section below…