Hamza Yassin: ‘In reality, being dyslexic is my gift’
Cameraman, dancer and now author, the wildlife enthusiast discusses his new book and battle with dyslexia
From mastering the art of nature filming to being crowned king of Strictly Come Dancing, Hamza Yassin has taken on multiple challenges with grace and enthusiasm. His TV career began with a role as Ranger Hamza on hit CBeebies show Let’s Go For A Walk, which led him to further presenting opportunities on Countryfile and later Channel 4’s Scotland: Escape To The Wilderness. Most recently, he’s also contributed to David Attenborough’s Wild Isles series from his home in the West Highlands. However, Yassin’s latest adventure involves writing a book about the basics of birdwatching; as someone with dyslexia, it’s a challenge he’s excited to bust taboos about in the process.
‘For me, I want to spread the word and show how important it is to know that you have dyslexia and therefore know you have a superpower,’ says Yassin. Be A Birder will be published in September with the aim of ‘inspiring the masses’ to get more involved in birding and other outdoor-based activities. ‘Birding is the gateway into the natural world, at least here in the UK.’
Yassin’s love of nature was sparked in his native Sudan. ‘We had pet monkeys and things like that,’ he explains, but when he moved to the UK, people he met said, ‘we’ve only got cats and dogs’. Yassin replied: ‘oh is that it’? In response, he nurtured an ability to find natural beauty right on his doorstep. Yassin reckons you must simply, ‘open your eyes and look beneath the layers’ to see that the UK is brimming with wildlife.
He’s appearing at this year’s Fringe By The Sea to present My Life Behind The Lens, in which he’ll share more about his work as a cameraman, his Strictly success, and how dyslexia has allowed him to view the world differently. ‘In reality, being dyslexic is my gift,’ he insists. This, however, is a man with more than one gift, and his talent for documentary-making is one he intends to keep building upon. ‘I want to travel the world telling unique and unusual stories, and untold stories of the natural world.’