TV presenter, wildlife cameraman and Strictly Come Dancing champion Hamza Yassin will be heading to Essex later this month to take part in the Chelmsford Science Festival.
The free event at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) on Tuesday, 29 October, will focus on Hamza’s journey overcoming adversity with his dyslexia to becoming a renowned wildlife cameraman and presenter in My Life Behind the Lens. Hamza will share some incredible photographs and stories from his early life in Sudan and his global travels as a cameraman.
Hamza achieved national stardom when he lifted the famous Glitterball Trophy in 2022 with his professional partner Jowita Przystal, but he had enjoyed a successful and varied TV career before Strictly Come Dancing. Hamza’s first appearance was on The One Show, as one of their wildlife cameramen.
He is known as Ranger Hamza on the hugely popular CBeebies shows Let’s Go For A Walk and Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest, and is one of the regular presenters on the BBC’s Countryfile and Animal Park,
For Channel 4, Hamza has presented Scotland: My Life in the Wild and Scotland: Escape to the Wilderness, and the highly regarded BBC One documentary Hamza: Strictly Birds of Prey. He is currently filming a new BBC One series titled Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles.
Hamza has a particular passion for birds and is a skilled ornithologist and birds nest recorder. His first book, Be a Birder: The joy of birdwatching and how to get started, was published last year, while his second book, Hamza’s Wild World, was published by Macmillan Children’s Books and is out now.
Professor Laurie Butler, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Hamza to ARU on 29 October as part of the Chelmsford Science Festival.
“Hamza achieved national treasure status when he danced his way to victory on Strictly two years ago and we are excited to learn more about his passion for wildlife and nature.
“As well as being a talented wildlife cameraman, Hamza is also a knowledgeable conservationist and ornithologist, so the event should be perfect for anyone with an interest in natural history.”
Hamza will be bringing his cameras to ARU, offering visitors an exclusive, close-up look at his equipment, and will host a short Q&A session, so attendees should come armed with questions. Hamza will also be available to meet attendees following the talk and Q&A.
Due to exceptional demand, the organisers have arranged a free live stream of Hamza’s talk on Tuesday, 29 October (6.30-8pm).
To register for the live stream, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hamza-yassin-my-life-behind-the-lens-tickets-1037842152817 or to join the waiting list to attend Hamza’s in-person talk at ARU, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/my-life-behind-the-lens-tickets-1015926973927
For further information about the 2024 Chelmsford Science Festival, and the full range of events taking place this year, visit https://www.aru.ac.uk/events/chelmsford-science-festival
