Strictly Come Dancing winner Hamza Yassin has said he would make natural history a compulsory subject in schools if he were Prime Minister, arguing children should know more about trees than celebrity culture.
The BBC wildlife cameraman, who presents the new special Hamza Yassin: African Birds of Prey, said he would prioritise teaching young people about the natural world.
Curriculum call
“I’d rather a kid tell me about five different names of trees than the five Kardashians,” he said. “If I was Prime Minister, I would make it compulsory that we educate the children of this nation about the natural history that we have here in this country and around the world.”
He said the subject should not become another test-based topic, but something children could experience and discover for themselves. He hopes viewers, especially younger ones, will develop the same wonder that has driven his career.
“The moment that someone knows information about natural history is the moment they will start caring about it. If they know they’re damaging something, they’re more likely to not do it. So yes, 100%, kids need to learn more, and then I can stop being Prime Minister.”
Kenya journey
The film follows Hamza on an emotional six-week journey through Kenya, travelling more than 5,000 kilometres to bring audiences close to some of Africa’s most elusive birds of prey.
He works with local conservation rangers, scientists, communities and Maasai people who understand the importance of the wildlife and land. Hamza, who moved to the UK from Sudan as a child in 1998, said: “I’m just a guest in their world. It’s Kenyans looking after Kenyan birds. That, for me, is the hope.”
Conservation and encounters
The film includes a visit to the Soi Sanbu Raptor Centre, where birds are rehabilitated after accidents and injuries, many caused by human intervention, including electrocution and collisions with power cables.
Viewers see rarely filmed species such as African fish eagles, martial eagles, owls, vultures and the elusive African crowned eagle, which the team finds on the final day of filming. One of Hamza’s most memorable moments is holding a young martial eagle known as K9, briefly caught so scientists could fit a tracking tag.
“For me, it was phenomenal to be able to get the chance to hold this chick. Everyone might have held a chicken before. Times it by about four or five. This thing’s huge,” he explained.
The 36-year-old became a household name after winning Strictly with pro partner Jowita Przystał in 2022. He says they remain friends. “I still dance with Jowita every now and then - whenever we get the chance,” he said. “I’m very busy, but we’re constantly chatting and whenever we meet up she goes, ‘Do you remember the dance?’ I’m like, ‘I think I do.’ ‘You do the counting, I’ll do the steps.’”
Hamza’s African Birds of Prey airs Sunday 30th August at 7pm on BBC1.
