Aber Psychology professor gets shout out on detective show The Bridge

The Bridge is the latest dark and complex Nordic crime drama on TV, but perhaps the most shocking plot twist in the series was when it referenced Aberystwyth Psychology Professor Dr. Nigel Holt last weekend.

Dr. Holt’s best-selling introductory psychology textbook “Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour” was given a shout out when the show’s protagonist revealed she was reading his book.

Dr. Holt looking chuffed alongside his book

Speaking after seeing his name on screen, Holt told WalesOnline: “This is one of my very favourite TV shows so you can imagine my surprise when Saga identified my book in this way.”

Holt is Head of the Department of Psychology at Aberystwyth University.

After studying for his PhD at University of York he worked in industry before returning to academia as a research fellow in auditory psychology at University of Reading.

He said: “I’m a big fan of this whole Scandi-Noir thing, as lots of my friends are. They make sense to me and they usually have a bit of psychological element to them.”

Aberystwyth is slowly becoming quite a Noire focus point even providing the location for Malcolm Pryce’s “Aberystwyth Noire” popular series of novels.

If Aber were to be the setting for a noir crime drama

Nigel added: “Writing textbooks is not regarded by some as a terribly worthwhile academic pursuit, but I’ve written and edited books from GCSE, through A level and to Undergraduate level, and some are used by those in professions, so I would disagree.

“It is probably one of the most important components of pedagogy, and it is central to what I, my co-authors and my colleagues here in Aberystwyth do.”