Bristow was educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School, and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a BA in 1986.

He received a PhD in English literature[1] from the University of Cambridge in 1990, with a thesis called "Ezra Pound: Poetry and Public Speaking".

After a year of Turkish language training, he worked in Ankara, Turkey as head of the political section from 1999 to 2002.

In response to the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, he had "difficult conversations" with the Russian government about deterrence.

[15] Bristow flew back to the UK on 29 August, announcing that the Embassy would operate from Qatar "for the time being".