Thomson was educated at Kirkcaldy High School, a comprehensive state school in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, before studying Politics and History at Newcastle University, where he was Deputy President of the Newcastle University Union Society.
[1] From 1994 to 1997 Thomson worked as a freelance journalist for Reuters Television in Bangkok, Thailand and for GMTV in London, England.
In 1997 Thomson emigrated to Sydney, Australia, where he joined SBS as Senior Producer.
Thomson started his international career reporting on the First Gulf War, travelling between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
[5] Thomson attracted attention by attending the 2008 Logie Awards dressed in a kilt.