‘Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy was so painful, I had to leave the Premiere halfway through’

Bridget Jones – she embodies the timeless charm of a woman both frazzled and steadfast, lost yet deeply rooted, as she bravely navigates the endless whirlwind of life’s trials and tribulations.

Arguably, she’s the woman of my generation. She has always been one of my biggest idols and inspirations, and she’s probably one of the reasons I became a journalist. A character so unapologetically herself, so cemented in who she is, it’s hard not to look up to a woman like her.

At the age of 32, an age similar to my own, she boasted a glorious one-bed apartment smack bang in central London (I could literally never).

Carelessly waltzing through the bustling Borough markets on her way home from an exciting day’s work with Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) she was seen contemplating which one of her posho loverboys she’d choose – before they ultimately descended into a war-like battle for her love – smashing birthday cakes and breaking windows along the way. (In stark comparison, my luck in the love department came to a bittersweet end just before Valentine’s Day. Brutal, I know).

There are so many differences and stark similarities between myself and the Bridget we all first met back in 2001. But it’s the 2025 version of Bridget – the grieving Bridget – that I have never related to more. So much so, that I had to exit my seat briefly at the London premiere earlier this month in a bid to escape the embarrassment of my flowing tears. I went to have a cry in the bathroom in peace (ballgown and all).

In Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Renée Zellweger, 55, reprises her iconic role, bringing depth and authenticity to a character who has matured gracefully over the years.

Directed by Michael Morris, this fourth installment in the series presents a poignant exploration of grief, loss, pain, and the enduring power of love – themes which hit me deeper than I thought a Bridget Jones movie could ever hit.

Set several years after the events of Bridget Jones’s Baby, the film opens with the heart-wrenching revelation that Bridget’s beloved husband, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), has tragically passed away during a humanitarian mission.

Now a 51-year-old widow, Bridget is left to navigate life as a single mother to their two young children, Billy and Mabel. The weight of her loss is palpable, and the film does not shy away from depicting the raw, unvarnished reality of her grief.

As Bridget grapples with her sorrow, she learns profound lessons about the nature of grief and the necessity of moving forward. Encouraged by her ever-supportive friends – Jude (Shirley Henderson), Shazza (Sally Phillips), and Tom (James Callis) – she tentatively re-enters the dating scene.

This journey leads her to a summer romance with the youthful, spirited, and downright ride, Roxster (Leo Woodall), whose zest for life rekindles Bridget’s own sense of adventure and reminds her of the joy that still exists in the world.

Bridget’s exploration into the world of dating apps, f***boys, and avoidant men will be a stark reminder to all the singletons this Valentine’s Day. Bridget’s foray into online dating is nothing short of a tragicomedy, a Shakespearean farce set in the digital age.

Armed with a profile that reads something like “wine enthusiast, chaotic but well-intentioned, not here for ghosting (unless it’s Patrick Swayze),” she bravely swipes through an endless parade of avoidant commitment-phobes, gym bros with alarming protein shake-to-personality ratios, and men whose idea of romance is a “u up?” text at 11:47 PM.

Every single woman who has ever been in the trenches of dating apps will feel a deep, spiritual kinship with Bridget as she deciphers cryptic Hinge prompts like “I’ll introduce you to my mother when…” (spoiler: never) and dodges emotional unavailability like it’s a national sport.

Watching Bridget endure the modern horrors of “let’s keep it casual” will have audiences howling in recognition – because, let’s face it, nothing says 2025 romance quite like a fella disappearing mid-conversation, only to reappear three months later with a “sorry, been busy.”

Simultaneously, Bridget forms a subtle yet profound connection with her son Billy’s science teacher, Mr. Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Through their interactions, she discovers that love can manifest in unexpected ways and that opening one’s heart again does not mean forgetting the past but honoring it by embracing the present.

Throughout the film, Bridget confronts the multifaceted nature of pain. She realizes that while grief is a testament to the depth of her love for Mark, it should not define her existence. By allowing herself to experience new relationships and challenges, she learns that pain can coexist with joy and that healing is a journey, not a destination.

Watching Bridget stumble through life after losing Mark Darcy left me with a raw and painful lump in my throat, a feeling so achingly familiar it almost hurt to sit with it. As she woke up in that too-big bed, as she forced a smile through conversations that felt hollow, as she clung to memories that once felt like a forever but were now just echoes- I saw myself.