Author | Lightnews

Matthew Thompson

@mattuthompson.bsky.social

21K followers 700 following 300 posts

Recovering journalist. Formerly of Sky News, LBC & BBC. Norn Irish, girl dad, linguist. DMs open.

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · May 22

Some personal news.

In a couple of weeks, I am leaving Sky News. And indeed, leaving London, and journalism altogether.

It’s not a decision I’ve taken lightly, but it’s one that’s best for me and my family.

I’ll be moving to Edinburgh, and into the world of finance.

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · 18d

Ahh thank you. Very kind!

Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Sep 12

Devastating. In Our Time is the best thing on the radio, bar none.

economist.com/britain/2025...

The BBC’s best programme loses its star

Melvyn Bragg is retiring from “In Our Time”

economist.com

Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Aug 18

So I suppose it’s about time I told those of you who still care exactly what I’m going to be doing with my life from now on 😂

In a couple of weeks, I’m incredibly fortunate to be taking up a role at investment manager Baillie Gifford.

Here’s to no more 4am alarms…

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Aug 14

Congratulations to all those getting exam results today, but in particular my nearly 70 year old father who just smashed an A in his AS Level Irish 👊🏻🇮🇪

Still got it, Da!

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 28

Quite. And you start to see the reasons why…

Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 28

I swear to God, this bloody country.

I need antibiotics. I ordinarily live in London. But am temporarily resident in Northern Ireland. My GP in England tells me they are unable to send a prescription outside of England.

So what’s the alternative? You guessed it: A&E.

No wonder there’s a crisis.

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 11

Evergreen.

Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 9

I keep playing this over in my head 😂

You can take the man out of politics…

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 9

Thank you Emma.

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 9

My final piece of journalism. And I think it’s an important one.

news.sky.com/story/orderi...

'Ordering a woman to be sexually exploited is as easy as ordering a takeaway': How trafficking victims are being sold online

A Sky News investigation uncovers thousands of potential indicators of sexual exploitation on two of the UK's most prominent adult service websites.

news.sky.com

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 8

And that, as they say, is that.

It’s been a hell of a ride.

You stay classy, Bluesky.

A picture of me in the Sky News autocue pointing at the text “Matt is out, goodbye”

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 6

This is a very good idea… alas too late for me currently!

Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 6

Believe me, me too. It’s not even a particularly big one. But London 🤷‍♂️

Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 6

The worst part is my own estate agent trying to convince me I should consider it on that basis.

Honestly. Such a mad system that the people you pay to advertise your flat have such a strong incentive to just get you to sell at whatever price.

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 6

Just had a prospective buyer massively lowball our flat, and then try and explain that he “has a LISA and won’t get the Government bonus if he buys a flat over £450k.”

Well, I mean… don’t view flats way over your budget then? It’s not my problem.

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 5

elmo from sesame street is standing in front of a fire

ALT: elmo from sesame street is standing in front of a fire

media.tenor.com

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · Jun 3

Anyone else notice how social media is now absolutely swamped with ChatGPT guff?

Just account after account with their thoughts entirely scripted by AI.

The syntax is so obvious—not to mention the em dashes that nobody actually used until about a year ago.

Driving me mad.

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · May 23

Thank you Mark, that’s very kind.

Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · May 22

Thank you- I hope so!

Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · May 22

Thank you ☺️

Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · May 22

I hope this isn’t goodbye. It may be possible to keep some level of engagement on here in my new gig, but I’ll have to see.

For now, thank you. I’ve learned so much from reading and speaking with you all over the years. It’s made me a better journalist, and a better person.

I’ll miss it terribly.

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · May 22

Thank you to all the people who made it possible, and to all the people who let me tell their stories along the way.

I’ve always tried to make it about you, rather than me. I hope I managed that, and that I did the privilege justice.

As for next steps… I’ll be able to say more in a month or two.

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · May 22

I won’t subject you all to a self-indulgent run through of my career highlights.

But suffice to say it has been the privilege of my life to spend these last 12 years or so as a journalist. To work with some of the best in the business, and to talk to all of you.

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · May 22

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Matthew Thompson @mattuthompson.bsky.social · May 22

Going to assume this is a joke rather than that you are truly so simple…