Countryfile star Hamza Yassin revealed that early in his career as a wildlife photographer, he was “forced to live out of a car for nine months” due to financial struggles.
Now 35, Hamza has spent the past 17 years living in the remote Scottish Highlands. Before settling into his Hebrides-style cottage, where he has lived for a decade, he survived for months out of his car.
In an interview with The Times, he recalled the daily ruse of pretending he was heading to the ferry at 8 a.m. “It turned out they knew, they just never asked,” he said. Without a fridge, he relied on showers at a local campsite.
Addressing questions about his experience as a Black man in the countryside, Hamza joked: “I usually say the wildlife doesn’t care.”
Countryfile star Hamza Yassin opened up about previously living out of a van for nine months.
Since joining Countryfile in 2021, Hamza Yassin has become a much-loved presence on the show.
“People were curious, not suspicious. They’d ask, ‘What are you doing here?’” he recalled.
Reflecting on his family’s reaction to his life in the remote countryside, Hamza said, “They thought it would be a two-week thing, a phase. My dad said, ‘He will come back to us when his clothes are dirty and he wants more home-cooked food.’ But the phase is nearly 11 years old now—it’s no longer a phase.”
Recently, Hamza was left emotional after making history on the show. On the November 16 episode, he joined a team working on a major conservation project, helping to release three of Britain’s rarest predators—wildcats—back into their natural habitat.
The Strictly alum described the experience as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” adding, “To be given the privilege of releasing three wildcats into the wild is something truly special.”
Hamza Yassin further boosted his fame by winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 with professional partner Jowita.
During a recent Countryfile episode, Estelle Morgan, a member of the conservation team, told Hamza, “You’re the first person who isn’t project staff to release a wildcat.” Overwhelmed, he replied, “Really? That’s an honour, that is an honour indeed.”
The team opened the wildcats’ pen and left food nearby to encourage the animals to venture out. Later, Hamza was thrilled when a staff member revealed that one of the wildcats had left its pen.
In another poignant moment on the show earlier this month, Countryfile viewers were shocked when a guest revealed they had experienced suicidal thoughts and broke down in tears. Presenter Sean Fletcher issued a warning before the distressing scenes.
The episode also addressed serious issues affecting the rural community. Co-host Charlotte Smith explored the controversy over inheritance tax for farmers, sharing that the show had been in touch with rural mental health organisations after learning that two farmers had tragically taken their own lives, with both families citing inheritance tax as a factor.
Later, viewers met fifth-generation farmer Charles Rees, who received a cancer diagnosis in February, and learned that his son Tom could face an inheritance tax bill of £1 million.
Back in October last year, the Government introduced the ‘largest inheritance tax changes for farmers in decades’. It has since proved to be ‘catastrophic’ for family farms
A Countryfile guest who is battling cancer left viewers in shock as they confessed to having ‘suicidal thoughts’ before breaking down in tears during a recent episode
From April 2026, a 20 per cent inheritance tax rate will be levied on agricultural assets worth more than £1 million, which were previously exempt. This is half the usual rate of 40 per cent.
The committee backed the Government’s aim of overhauling APR and BPR to ‘close the loophole’ allowing wealthy investors to buy agricultural land to avoid inheritance tax, but said stakeholders and experts have proposed several alternative ways to reform these taxes.
These include increasing the tax-free combined cap for both taxes to £20 million but with potential ‘clawback period’ in which any land sold after being passed on, tapering to avoid a cliff-edge if the property is sold.
Speaking to Charlotte about the situation, he said: ‘I’ve been here for 70 years, it’s everything I’ve ever done.’
But then the conversation took a turn for the worst as she asked about the effect the looming tax has on the household.
He added: ‘It’s been hard for me lying in the hospital bed thinking, how am I going to save my farm? And trying to have all this treatment to save my life.’
‘And sometimes I think, what the hell are you doing it all for? Because if something don’t change by next April, I’d probably top myself.’
In response, Charlotte said: ‘You’ve really thought about that? Because of the farm?’, as he confirmed: ‘Oh God yes.’
She then turned to his wife, Ruth, and began to ask about her wellbeing.
Charles was then reduced to tears and had to excuse himself from the table.
Ruth attempted to respond to Charlotte’s question, but found herself overcome with emotion.
She said: ‘I find it very sad, when he was diagnosed, he generally said to me, one day he said, “To be honest with you, for the farm point of view, I’d be better off if I didn’t have the treatment”.’
Thankfully, since the interview was recorded, Charles has undergone surgery and currently on the mend.