Strictly Come Dancing winner Hamza Yassin films CBeebies show at nature reserve in Northumberland

The latest episode of Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest sees the 2022 Strictly Come Dancing champion and his team of ‘ramblers’ exploring Hauxley Nature Reserve near Amble and learning about owls as they go.

Hamza looks for signs of different owl species such as nests and pellets, and even manages to spot a barn owl flying around.

All the while local children Louie, Toby, and Aaron help him out by sharing their knowledge of owls and learning about their important role in the area’s ecosystem. They also have a look at some supersized bird boxes being installed to give owls somewhere to nest.

The episode will be shown again on CBeebies at 3.15pm on Friday and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Alex Lister, Druridge Bay landscape manager at the Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: “Of all the shows filmed at Hauxley over the years this has been the most personal, as I have watched every episode with my two young children.

“It was great to have the episode filmed on the reserve in July and especially to see exactly how the show is made.

“The episode is wonderful as it not only puts our Hauxley reserve on the map but also showcases the marvellous Druridge Bay scenery for viewers living outside the region to marvel at and, fingers crossed, prompts them to come and experience Northumberland for themselves.”

Another episode in the series that is still to air, which is about beetles, was also filmed in Northumberland, at Walltown Country Park near Haltwhistle.

The programme aims to encourage children to learn about and connect with the natural world from an early age.

Hamza said: “Together we discover just how incredible nature is, and how everything plays its part in creating our different natural habitats, wherever they may be.

“You can find nature anywhere, and whether it is spotting a bee or a badger, finding a sunflower, or digging in the soil for earthworms, it is always fun to spot nature with the ramblers.”