Strictly Come Dancing winner Hamza Yassin has shared a surprising chapter from his past, revealing he spent nine months living in his car before finding fame on the BBC show.
From Sudan to Scotland: A Wildlife Cameraman's Humble Beginnings
The 2022 Strictly champion, now 35, moved to Britain from Sudan with his family when he was eight years old, settling in Northampton. After studying Zoology with Conservation, he pursued his passion for wildlife photography and headed to the Scottish Highlands, where he immediately fell in love with the landscape.
"I was living in my Vauxhall seven-seater car for nine months when I first turned up," Yassin disclosed in an interview with The Times. His unconventional living situation was followed by a move into a farmer's old caravan, which lacked heating or running water, before eventually finding a caravan with basic amenities.
The Challenge of Keeping Up Appearances
The wildlife cameraman described the most difficult aspect as maintaining appearances within the small community. He would deliberately wake at 8am each morning and pretend he was catching a ferry to neighbouring islands to avoid raising suspicions about his homeless situation.
During this period, Yassin managed without refrigeration or proper washing facilities while supporting himself through casual work. He earned money cutting grass and working as a wedding photographer, requiring just £50 per month to get by. Meanwhile, he was building his professional portfolio, gathering wildlife footage and sending it to BBC producers.
A New Life by the Sea
Today, Hamza's circumstances have dramatically improved. He now resides in an idyllic cottage just 20 metres from the coastline on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula along Scotland's wild West Coast. Following his guest presenting role in 2021, he has become a beloved regular on BBC's Countryfile.
His passion for wildlife was recently showcased during a Countryfile episode broadcast on Sunday, November 16, where he participated in a "once in a lifetime experience" - helping to release three Scottish wildcats back into their natural habitat. He became the first person outside the project team to be involved in such a release.
While travelling into the woodland, Yassin told wildcat specialist Estelle Morgan, "To actually get given the privilege of releasing three wild cats into the wild is something special." After spotting a resting cat, he exclaimed, "How cool was that? These guys are absolutely phenomenal. I can see why they are truly wildcats. They are majestic, they are beautiful, and they are so wild."
From his challenging beginnings living in a car to winning the Strictly glitterball trophy with professional partner Jowita Przystal and establishing himself as a respected wildlife presenter, Hamza Yassin's journey demonstrates remarkable resilience and dedication to following his passions.
