Hamza: Strictly Birds of Prey; The Woman in the Wall

“Camera and tripod over his shoulder, binoculars around his neck, Yassin is on a quest to show that his home country is full of places where spotters of winged predators can find joy. First, though, there’s more getting to know him, and it is this introductory section that provides the loveliest moments of a programme that’s basically a solid hour of lovely moments.”
Jack Seale, The Guardian

“Wildlife presenting is an overcrowded field, but Yassin brings a fresh perspective: as he met wildlife photographer David Plummer, who finds respite from Parkinson’s disease in the wildlife haven he’s created in his own suburban back garden, you got a genuine sense that immersing yourself in nature is an effective antidote to the anxieties of modern life. Peppered with highlights – oddly dragonflies roosting on the Somerset Levels, looking for all the world like leaves on reeds, were a bit of a scene-stealer – it was hard not to get caught up in Yassin’s infectious enthusiasm for his high-flying world.”
Keith Watson, The Telegraph

“The show was pretty glorious as Yassin showed us white-tailed eagles, hen harriers, ospreys, peregrine falcons, tawny owls, golden eagles … The scenery was spectacular, but one of the most fascinating parts involved peregrine falcons nesting on a ledge at Ealing Hospital, dragging home an unfortunate parakeet to feed their chicks. Yassin was a likeable host, passionate about what he does and very good at it too.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“Hamza Yassin is probably best known now for winning last year’s Strictly Come Dancing, but he’s really a wildlife cameraman. He spends his days filming birds of prey, and permanently looks as if he can’t believe his luck. His enthusiasm is infectious, even though it can’t be easy to stay cheerful when you’re filming the forbidding concrete facade of Ealing hospital in West London.”
Roland White, Daily Mail

“It has been consistently brilliant. The finale took your heart and mashed it through a wringer. Or rather, Ruth Wilson did. If she doesn’t win an award for her jerky, brittle performance as Lorna Brady, a woman half-demented with skewering grief after her baby was stolen from her in a brutal Magdalene laundry, there’s no justice. As an artful portrait of deep, complex, messy pain it was magnificent.”
Carol Midgley, The Times