Hamza returns to his passion...strictly birds of prey

Since Hamza Yassin rose to fame by winning the 20th series of Strictly Come Dancing alongside dance partner Jowita Przystal in December, fans have been wondering what the likeable wildlife cameraman would do next.

On a personal level, the Sudan-born 33-year-old, known for his role as Ranger Hamza on CBeebies show Let’s Go for a Walk, as well as his dance moves, has said that he would love to have children, but his busy work schedule means he is too busy for dating.

He said: “I am 100 per cent broody. I’m broody in a nice way in that I would love to have a family one day.

“It’s in the natural world. A silverback gorilla is a silverback because he wants to be the head of the family because he gets the pleasure of having offspring.

“I am hoping one day that I’ll find somebody and settle down with little mini Hamzas.

“I’m okay being single at the moment trying to improve my life and my career.”

And speaking of his work, Hamza’s first big project since lifting the Glitterball trophy arrives on our screens tonight, as he returns to two of his passions – wildlife filming and Britain’s birds of prey.

The months spent on gruelling training inside a London studio for Strictly clearly made Hamza’s desire to be outdoors stronger than ever, and in this film he is reunited with some of the videographers who he worked with on BBC One’s Wild Isles last year.

They include his friends and mentors, camera operator and presenter Simon King and wildlife filmmaker John Aitchison.

Hamza says: “All my life I have had a passion for birds of prey, so this documentary film is a dream come true for me.

“It’s an opportunity to share more of the joy I experienced on Wild Isles while I film my top 10 of Britain’s birds of prey.”

“Birds of prey are powerful, majestic, beautiful, charismatic, intelligent. What I think of when I wake up, what I dream about.”

Beginning on the remote Ardnamurchan Peninsula in the Scottish Highlands and travelling the length and breadth of the UK, Hamza’s will try and film a selection of birds.

He sees hen harriers in the Cairngorms, white-tailed eagles in his back garden in the Ardnamurchan Peninsular, hobbies and marsh harriers over the Somerset Levels, and urban peregrine falcons nesting in Ealing Hospital in West London.

And, along the way, he meets a host of old friends – dedicated conservationists and fellow filmmakers whose love for the natural world shines through, and whose stories are insightful, incredible and inspirational.

In total, Hamza captures nine fantastic birds of prey – some of which you might even find living near you, if you just look up.

But will he manage to see his personal favourite, the golden eagle?

Hamza started this particular journey at the beginning of this year with a desire to film his 10 favourite raptors.

He finishes it with hopes for the future, both for the birds he’s documenting, and what will surely be a long and successful career in whatever field he decides to pursue.