Countryfile favourite Hamza Yassin has opened up about a chapter of his life few viewers ever knew existed, revealing that he was “forced to live out of a car for nine months” while trying to carve out a career as a wildlife cameraman with barely any money to his name.

The 35-year-old Strictly Come Dancing winner, now widely loved for his gentle manner and extraordinary footage, has lived in the remote Scottish Highlands for the last 17 years. But before he managed to buy the small Hebrides-style cottage he now calls home, Hamza admitted that he spent almost a year sleeping in his vehicle and improvising day by day just to get by.

Countryfile star Hamza Yassin opened up about previously living out of a van for nine months

In a candid interview with The Times, Hamza recalled the exhausting routine he once relied on to avoid drawing attention to his situation. “I was waking up at 8am, pretending I was going on the ferry,” he explained. “It turned out the locals already knew — they just didn’t ask. I didn’t have a fridge. I showered at the campsite. People were curious, not suspicious. They’d ask, ‘What are you doing here?’”

The cameraman has been a much-loved presence on the show since joining in 2021

Hamza, who joined Countryfile in 2021 and quickly became a staple of the show, previously spoke to The Sunday Post about how his family reacted when he first announced he wanted to live in the countryside. “They thought it would be a two-week thing, a phase,” he admitted. “My dad said, ‘He’ll come back when his clothes are dirty and he wants proper food.’ But that phase has lasted nearly 11 years now — it’s not a phase anymore.”

Hamza achieved further popularity by winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, alongside pro partner Jowita

This week, Hamza found himself overwhelmed with emotion once again — but for a very different reason. In Sunday’s (November 16) Countryfile episode, he joined conservation teams in a rare and ambitious project to reintroduce wildcats, one of Britain’s most endangered predators, back into the wild.

Hamza helped release three wildcats into their natural habitat, calling the moment a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” He said, “To be given the privilege of releasing three wildcats into the wild — that’s something incredibly special.” One of the workers, Estelle Morgan, added: “You’re the first person outside the project staff to release a wildcat.” Visibly stunned, Hamza replied, “Really? That’s an honour — a real honour.”

As the team opened the pen and placed food nearby to encourage the animals to explore, Hamza was thrilled to hear that one of the wildcats had already wandered out shortly after. It was a moment of hope and triumph that clearly meant the world to him.

But Countryfile has also seen darker moments this season. Earlier this month, viewers were left stunned when a guest broke down and admitted to having suicidal thoughts, prompting presenter Sean Fletcher to issue a warning before the heartbreaking scene aired. During the same episode, co-host Charlotte Smith examined the rising controversy surrounding inheritance tax for farmers.

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

Charlotte revealed that Countryfile had contacted rural mental-health groups and learned that two farmers had tragically ended their own lives — with their families citing inheritance tax pressure as a contributing factor. The programme then introduced Charles Rees, a fifth-generation farmer who received a cancer diagnosis in February.

Charles explained that his son Tom could face an inheritance tax bill of £1 million, the result of agricultural assets that were previously exempt now being taxed. In October the previous year, the Government introduced the biggest inheritance-tax changes for farmers in decades — changes that many say have already caused catastrophic consequences for family-run 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% inheritance tax will apply to agricultural assets valued over £1 million, down from the usual 40% rate but still severe enough to threaten family businesses. Committees acknowledged the Government’s intention to stop wealthy investors misusing agricultural land for tax avoidance, but critics have proposed reforms such as raising the tax-free cap to £20 million or introducing tapered clawback rules when land is sold.

Speaking to Charlotte, Charles said, “I’ve been here 70 years — it’s everything I’ve ever known.” But when she gently asked how the looming tax changes were affecting him, his tone shifted. “It’s been hard lying in a hospital bed thinking, ‘How am I going to save my farm?’ And trying to fight for my life at the same time. Sometimes I think, what’s the point of all this? Because if nothing changes by next April… I’d probably top myself.”

Startled, Charlotte asked, “You’ve really thought about that? Because of the farm?” Charles quietly confirmed, “Oh God, yes.”

She then turned to his wife, Ruth, to ask how she was coping. But Charles, overwhelmed with emotion, excused himself from the table and broke down in tears. Ruth tried to explain the toll it had taken on him and their family, but she too became visibly shaken. “I find it very sad,” she said. “When he was diagnosed, he told me, ‘Honestly, from the farm’s 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 is now recovering.

Countryfile airs Sundays on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.