Noel Thompson is a Northern Irish news journalist with BBC Northern Ireland. He was part of the presenting team for BBC Radio Ulster's flagship morning programme Good Morning Ulster.[1]

Noel Thompson

Journalism career

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Thompson began his broadcasting career at the BBC in 1979 as a researcher for Nationwide in Belfast.[2] He progressed through the corporation's internal training scheme, working on Multi-Coloured Swap Shop and Newsround.[2]

In addition to his broadcasting career at BBC Northern Ireland, Thompson has presented Newsnight and BBC Breakfast[3] and, for a period, occasionally guest presented on BBC News Channel and BBC News' politics and arts interview programme HARDtalk.[1]

Thompson was awarded Royal Television Society Regional TV Presenter of the Year for two consecutive years: 1997[4] and 1998.[5] He was also nominated in the same category in 1999.[6] In 2007, Thompson received an Award of Distinction from Belfast Metropolitan College for his services to journalism.[2] It was announced in 2019 that Thompson would retire from the corporation in 2020 along with three other BBC presenters.

Personal life

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Thompson studied at Campbell College in Belfast and St Catharine's College, Cambridge, reading MML (French and German), then Social and Political Sciences.[2]

Prior to joining the BBC, Thompson worked in a bar at the Europa Hotel in Belfast, and he also managed his brother's restaurant in the West Indies.[2]

He sings baritone with the Belfast Philharmonic and has regularly performed at many classical concerts with the august choir alongside the Ulster Orchestra.[7] He is a committed and highly experienced wildlife photographer and mountain walker.[8]

Thompson is married to Sharon and has two children, Patrick and Matthew, the latter a reporter for LBC.

References

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  1. ^ a b Noel Thompson's profile BBC Newsline, 15 April 2008
  2. ^ a b c d e The thrill of the news for Noel News Letter, 13 October 2008; retrieved 5 February 2009 Archived 26 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Breakfast Presenters - Noel Thompson BBC News, 3 November 2008
  4. ^ Programme Award Winners 1997 Archived March 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Royal Television Society
  5. ^ Programme Award Winners 1998 Archived 2009-03-22 at the Wayback Machine Royal Television Society
  6. ^ Programme Award Winners 1999 Archived 2009-03-22 at the Wayback Machine Royal Television Society
  7. ^ Carson, Helen (26 October 2015). "Presenter Noel Thompson: me and my health". Belfast Telegraph.
  8. ^ Sweeney, Joanne (7 January 2017). "Noel Thompson on reporting on the trauma of the Troubles". The Irish News.
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