Hamza Yassin, Countryfile’s resident wildlife cameraman, also known for his role on Let’s Go For A Walk, recently opened up about the ups and downs of his life in Scotland
A Countryfile star has shed light on the moment he realised that local residents “knew” he was living in his car. Hamza Yassin, a wildlife cameraman also known for his role on Let’s Go For A Walk and winning Strictly Come Dancing, recently opened up about his home on the Ardnamurchan peninsula in Scotland.
He explained that he’s lived in the remote Highlands locale for 17 years in total, specifically in what he described as an “awesome little village” that’s home to around 150 people.
Despite Hamza residing in his current home, a “cottage in the Hebrides style”, for ten years, his introduction to the area was a little less glamorous, having spent nine months living in a “Vauxhall seven-seater”.
Once he managed to upgrade to a farmer’s caravan, he then faced the unpleasant scenario of having no heating or running water, but he would later switch to a second caravan that, at the very least, offered water.
Hamza was then asked what the most difficult thing was about his living situation in the car. He replied the Times: “Not being spotted sleeping in the back by the locals.
“I was waking up at 8am, pretending I was going on the ferry. It turned out that they knew, they just never quizzed me. I didn’t have a fridge.
“I had showers at a local campsite. I’m sometimes asked if I find it tough being a black man in the countryside. I usually say that the wildlife doesn’t care. People were curious, not suspicious. They’d say, “What are you doing here?”
In other news, Hamza opened up about his mental health over the summer on Countryfile, describing how being outdoors makes him feel “at peace”.
In the episode, in which Hamza searched for orcas off the Caithness coast, the cameraman discussed how he has the “world’s best job”, one that allows him to “go on safari” and “travel the world”.
Hamza also noted that his enviable role means that he can “come back with memories” both in his mind and “on a card”, which he can look back upon, before he moved on to the subject of his mental health.
He said: “One of the best things when I am busy, rushing around – my mind is all scrambled. I love just going out and going to a place like this, where you see the wildlife, and see what happens to your mental health.”
Hamza added: “I feel like someone has just gone through and cleared my mind of all the clutter and I’m at peace. I am meditating and being in nature stops time and before you know it, it’s the end of the day and the sun’s going down and I’ve had an absolutely fantastic day.”
Source: Mirror
Leave a Reply