Colin Firth fans rejoice: Mark Darcy is to be reunited with Bridget Jones after all, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
When Firth’s name was absent from the cast list of the forthcoming movie about the world’s most famous singleton, fans feared his character had been killed off.
That was certainly his fate in Helen Fielding’s novels, where he marries Bridget, but dies while working abroad as a human rights lawyer.
However, in these exclusive photographs from the set of Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, Renee Zellweger, who plays Jones, is seen lovingly interacting with her co-star Firth, 63. Wearing Darcy’s trademark suit and tie, Firth tenderly places his hand upon the cheek of his 55-year-old co-star, who is in an emerald dress and leather boots.
Because Fielding’s Mad About The Boy novel had Bridget navigating life as a widow four years after Darcy’s death, Firth’s return is a huge surprise, which film bosses were desperate to keep under wraps.
Bridget Jones fans can rejoice as fan favourite Mark Darcy (played by Colin Firth) is set to appear in the new instalment after all
In new exclusive photographs from the set of Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, Colin Firth’s character appears alive and well lovingly caressing Renee Zellweger’s face …or is he?
The novel – on which the script is based – follows Bridget as she learns to navigate life four years following the death of Mr Darcy
A source said: ‘Colin was always going to appear in the movie but it was supposed to be a secret.’
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Bridget Jones star Renee Zellweger films sweet tribute to Mark Darcy with her on-screen children
It’s not the first time tragedy has beset the fictional diarist. In the last movie, Bridget Jones’s Baby, she is seen attending the memorial of her other on-off love Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant, who is presumed dead after a plane crash. He is later found alive.
Fans will have to be patient to find out whether Darcy will be so lucky, or is simply appearing in a dream sequence.
The Mail on Sunday revealed earlier this year that Jones will face a three-way battle for her affections between Cleaver, a much younger man named Rockstar, played by One Day heartthrob Leo Woodall, and 12 Years A Slave star Chiwetel Ejiofor’s character, Mr Walker.
Bridget, now a mother of two, will become smitten with Mr Walker, who teaches PE at her son’s school, before diverting her attentions to the hunky Rockstar, who she meets on social media.
Bridget (played by Renee Zellweger) and Mr Darcy (portrayed by Colin Firth) nose to nose in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
In the last movie, Bridget Jones’s Baby, she is seen attending the memorial of her other on-off love Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant , who is presumed dead after a plane crash
The Mail on Sunday revealed earlier this year that Jones will face a three-way battle for her affections
Former flame Daniel Cleaver, and a young man named Rockstar played by Leo Woodhall (pictured as Dexter in One Day) will face off for Bridget’s love
The Mail on Sunday previously revealed that Bridget will give up her famous bachelorette pad in London’s Borough Market in favour of a family home in leafy Hampstead, North London, where so many scenes have been filmed in the past few months.
In the film, due out on Valentine’s Day next year, Bridget also quits her job working in television to do the school run, with comical scenes expected as she struggles to keep up with the Yummy Mummies.
The character of Mark Darcy is said to have been inspired by Keir Starmer when he was working as a human rights lawyer in the 1990s. It is a rumour the new Prime Minister has never denied.