Strictly speaking Hamza is just champion!

 

There was dancing in the streets of Kilchoan on Saturday night when local resident Hamza Yassin was voted the BBC 'Strictly' champion 2022.

 

As the Animal Park, Let's Go For A Walk and Countryfile host strutted his stuff at the Elstree Studio in London, friends and neighbours gathered at the Kilchoan Community Centre eagerly awaiting the outcome.

 

After 13 weeks of brutal training and 16 live performances, excluding the group dances, Hamza and his dance partner Jowita Przystal lifted the famous glitterball trophy in Saturday's live final.

 

 

And the large gathering at the community hall erupted as the winners were announced (go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtpNMRXYkNU to see the live video footage). Members of the community had turned out faithfully to watch the Saturday night shows on the big screen most weeks of the competition, only taking a break for pre booked functions.

 

Hall coordinator Shona Stewart told us: 'It was so much fun!

 

'What a brilliant time we’ve all had as a community cheering him on. It’s so great to see that’s he’s come across as the kind and lovely guy that we all know so well.

 

'We’re all so very proud of him and can’t wait until he comes back home.'

 

Apart from a few country dance steps taught to him by neighbours, Hamza never had any dance lessons before taking part in the prime time show but soon became the bookmakers' favourite.

 

He was known for his daring lifts, and humble and gracious demeanour.

 

In the final he beat fellow celebrities Molly Rainford, Fleur East and Helen Skelton to the coveted prize.

 

After the three advisory scores were given by the judges, Yassin and Przystal were bottom of the leader board on 113 points and it was down to the public to decide who took the title for 2022.

 

The emotional 32-year-old thanked viewers for voting for them, adding: 'This is the best thing that has every happened to me.

 

'Words can't describe how I feel. I want to thank one person in particular. Jovita - you are an angel disguised as a human being.'

 

As usual, one of the three dances in the grand final was chosen by the judges (Salsa to Ecuador by Sash! featuring Rodriguez), one was their own favourite dance from the series (a couple's choice to Jerusalema by Master KG) and the other was a show dance to Let's Face The Music And Dance by Irving Berlin.