Strictly Come Dancing winner Hamza Yassin has revealed he endured a gruelling period of homelessness, secretly living out of his car for nine months before finding fame and a home in the Scottish Highlands.
From Glitterball to a Vauxhall Seven-Seater
The 2022 Strictly champion, now 35, detailed his difficult past in a recent interview. Before settling into his idyllic seaside cottage on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, the BBC wildlife cameraman faced a starkly different reality. For nine months, his home was the back of a seven-seater Vauxhall car.
Hamza, who moved to the UK from Sudan with his parents at the age of eight, developed a passion for wildlife which led him to study Zoology with Conservation. This passion ultimately drew him to the Scottish Highlands, where he immediately "fell in love with it," but his new beginning came with significant hardship.
A Secret Life and a Caravan Upgrade
The wildlife expert told The Times that the most challenging aspect was maintaining secrecy. To avoid raising suspicions among locals, he would wake up at 8am each day and pretend he was catching a ferry to the nearby islands.
After the nine months in his car, his living situation saw a slight improvement, though it remained basic. He moved into an old farmer's caravan, which lacked both heating and running water. He later upgraded to a caravan that did have a water supply.
During this time, Hamza sustained himself on a minimal budget. "All I needed was £50 a month," he explained. He earned money through odd jobs like mowing lawns and working as a wedding photographer, all while building a portfolio of wildlife footage to send to BBC producers.
A New Life and a "Once in a Lifetime" Experience
Hamza's perseverance paid off. He is now a beloved presenter on BBC's Countryfile and lives in a cottage just 20 metres from the sea. His career highlights continue to accumulate, with a recent Countryfile episode showcasing a particularly special moment.
On Sunday, November 16, Hamza assisted in the release of three Scottish wildcats into their natural habitat. This made him the first non-project staff member ever to be involved in such a release.
During the programme, an excited Hamza told wildcat expert Estelle Morgan, "To actually get given the privilege of releasing three wild cats into the wild is something special." After spotting one of the cats, he marvelled, "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."
