Hamza Yassin is favourite to lift the Strictly Glitterball, but he still doesn’t think he can dance, although he happily admits the last three months has been an incredible health kick.
The BBC wildlife cameraman has lost 2st thanks to his dance training with pro partner Jowita Przystal, which is proof of how hard he has worked to perfect the routines and impress the judges and the viewers.
But even now, Hamza, 32, says: “I thought week one, I’d be going. I didn’t think I could dance. I still don’t think I can dance.”
The audience think otherwise, loving his huge strength in the lifts and his impressive hip action.
Hamza may be modest about his dance skills, but he is super-proud of his new physique.
He says: “I’ve lost nearly 13 kilos. I’m seeing body parts being defined. I feel so much happier, fitter and healthier. I hope I can keep it going.”
Describing his new figure as “just nuts” he says: “I’ve lost four or five inches across my waist.
“This suit was tailor-made at the beginning and now I’m wearing a belt to tighten it. It’s just an amazing feeling. Dancing is incredible – there’s no need to go running.”
But Hamza, who came to the UK from Sudan, aged eight, with his medic parents, still questions whether he is actually any good when it comes to dancing.
Despite regularly topping the leaderboard and winning over the viewers with his skills, Hamza is still uncomfortable learning new routines.
He says: “If you put me in front of a lion charging at me, with a camera, that’s cool, I know what that’s going to do and I’m confident there. Whereas here, I’m in clothes that I would never normally wear, doing stuff that I wouldn’t normally do.”
Jowita says his lack of confidence has been the biggest obstacle in training.
But, even so, she says: “We don’t play it safe. I think he’s capable of doing anything. He goes for it and he doesn’t give up.”
And for Jowita, 28, she is grateful to have landed such a gifted partner.
She says: “The amount of messages we are getting after every Saturday night is amazing, and we try to reply to all of them.
“It’s so nice because he came from a world where there is no dancing. He’s a cameraman. There’s no humans. He never danced in his life.”
Hamza is finally letting himself think about winning, and, unsurprisingly, wants to do it for Jowita.
He says: “Winning would come down to sharing this stage with this absolutely amazing woman and knowing what she’s been through in her life and what I’ve done in my lifetime. It would just be a dream come true.
“I can’t give her anything in life that she can’t get herself. The only thing I can do is do my best on that dance floor.
“And hopefully we lift that beautiful trophy together.”
He admits to feeling “super-nervous” about the final.
Despite getting higher marks for Latin dances, they will perform a ballroom showdance channelling Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, including many of their impressive “lifts and tricks”. They will also bring back their favourite Afro-beats Couple’s Choice dance along with the judges’ pick of their high-scoring salsa.
Whatever happens tomorrow, Jowita and Hamza will definitely go on the Strictly stage tour in the New Year.
He also wants to make documentaries in Jowita’s native Poland.
Hamza, who lives in the Highlands, tells her: “I’m going to take you to Scotland first.“ He adds: “She wants to go on safari to Africa, and I said yes.”
After Christmas, he will return to his day job. He says: “I want to show my love of the natural world. If this platform’s given me a boost to do it, I say thank you Strictly and the BBC.”
But he says: “I can guarantee you I will keep dancing... just not for nine hours a day.”
Strictly Come Dancing - The Final, Saturday, BBC One, 7.05pm
