Whoever booked Hamza Yassin for Strictly Come Dancing last year should get a cash bonus. His victory, achieved via public voting after he finished last on the judges’ scoring in the final, confirmed that Britain felt a warm privilege in having been introduced to an unassuming wildlife cameraman who was nearly unknown before he stepped on to the dancefloor. Pure of heart and unlimited in his enthusiasm, Hamza is a pearl.
One of the perks of winning Strictly is the unspoken understanding that the winner can front a BBC documentary in their area of expertise a few months later, and here is Hamza: Strictly Birds of Prey, his guide to Britain’s most impressive raptors. Camera and tripod over his shoulder, binoculars around his neck, Yassin is on a quest to show that his home country is full of places where spotters of winged predators can find joy.
