Bridget Jones’s Diary first leapt onto our screens in 2001, with a dashing love triangle and some seriously enormous pants. Since then we have been utterly charmed by Bridget’s quest for love and now, 24 years later we finally have our happy ending – but is it what we expected?
Mad About the Boy is the fourth and final film in the series and sees Bridget, now a widowed mother of two coping with her grief and learning how to love yet again.
All the things we love about Bridget are expected to return – including clumsy falls, blue soup, gorgeous men and Hugh Grant in a sports car. What more could you want this Valentine’s Day?
While the film is set to inspire a night of nostalgia, there are some welcome additions in the shape of heartthrob Leo Woodall, known for his roles in The White Lotus and Netflix’s One Day. He takes on the role of Bridget’s, somewhat younger, love interest.
Before you go running to the cinema to save your seats make sure you’re fully caught up on Bridget Jones’ story so far. Here’s how to watch the entire Bridget Jones film series.
How to watch Mad About the Boy in the UK
Mad About the Boy will be released in cinemas on 14 February, the Valentine’s Day gift we’ve all been waiting for.
Of course, the film stars Renee Zellweger returning to the titular role as Bridget Jones. Having recently lost her long-time love the dashing Mr Darcy (Colin Firth), the film explores the reality of grief, but also shows that once lost, love and joy can still be found again.
In this new flick, Hugh Grant returns to his iconic role as notorious playboy Daniel Cleaver. After having turned down the third film in 2016, he has since publicly stated that the script for this final film was one of the best he had ever read, convincing him to take up the role once again. Alongside him we have two new faces joining the cast: Leo Woodall and Bafta-winning actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, who will form Bridget’s newest love triangle.
How to watch all the Bridget Jones films in order?
Make sure you’re fully up to date on Bridget’s rocky romantic life before embarking on her latest chapter
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
The film that started it all. The very first instalment in the franchise, Bridget Jones’s Diary, sees Bridget described as an idiot when it comes to love. Leading her straight to devilish heartbreaker Daniel Cleaver (Grant) and mysterious human rights lawyer Mark Darcy (Firth) who as it turns out, likes her just as she is. It’s the one with blue soup, enormous pants and not-so-manly street fights.
Right now you can watch the entire film series for free with a NowTV premium subscription or you can rent or buy the films at both Amazon Prime Video or AppleTV+.
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)
In this sequel, we find Bridget in domestic bliss with Mr Darcey, only for her to inevitably muck it all up within the first 40 minutes and land herself in a Thai prison, naturally.
Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016)
The third installment welcomes new addition Jack Qwant, a charming tech CEO played by McDreamy himself Patrick Dempsey of Grey’s Anatomy fame. Bridget finds herself in a love triangle and pregnant at 40 and with no clue who the father is. As is expected chaos ensues.
How to the Bridget Jones’s Diary books
Like most great stories Bridget Jones’s Diary was originally a book series written by Helen Fielding (after a successful column in The Independent). The first was published in 1996 and the films stayed pretty close to the plot. The novels detail Bridget’s life from a premature spinster at 30, to an unexpected mother at 40, and finally a flailing widow at 50. If you’re as obsessed with the series as we are, we suggest you pick up a copy (or four) to soak up every last detail and read them all in order.
