Chardonnay at the ready ... Bridget Jones is making a comeback! Helen Fielding's agent confirms autumn release date for new book

Fans of hapless 30something Bridget Jones have waited a V. V. long time for their anti-heroine to return to their bookshelves and now the agents of author Helen Fielding have confirmed that a third installment will be released in November this year.
The unlucky-in-love Londoner was the original chick lit protagonist and a generation of women fell in love with Bridget's neurotic, calorie-obsessed character.
The first book, Bridget Jones' Diary, was published in 1996 and turned into a film starring Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Renee Zellweger and the sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, was published three years later.
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The character of hapless Londoner Bridget Jones is to be reprised in a third book, out this November

A generation of women identified with Bridget's flawed character as she chain-smoked her way through life

Both books sold more than 15 million copies and are currently published in more than 40 countries.
Today publisher Alfred A. Knopf confirmed that a third book featuring Jones will be released this year, although no title has been announced for the newest novel.

 

Fielding has said the book will be set in present-day London and reflect a later stage in Bridget’s life: 'My life has moved on and Bridget’s will move on, too. I hope people will have as much fun reading it, as I am writing it.'
Sonny Mehta, Knopf chairman and editor in chief, said few writers rival Fielding in 'fully capturing the modern woman.'
He said: 'Her writing is both funny and heartfelt, and her observations about life are piercing and mordantly rendered.
'I have been waiting a long time to see what’s next for Bridget Jones, and I am beyond thrilled that she’s back.'

Colin Firth and Hugh Grant played Bridget's sparring love interests in both films

Author Helen Fielding (left) first created the Bridget Jones character for a column in the Independent newspaper and the subsequent novels were both adapted as hugely successful movies

In September Working Title Films confirmed that work on a third Bridget Jones' movie, called Bridget Jones's Baby, was progressing, although it was currently still in development.

'The script is being written,' Tim Bevan, co-chairman of Working Title Films told the BBC.

'Bridget Jones's Baby is like herding cats but they're beginning to fall into line.'

He also confirmed that the cast has been approached about a third movie, but wouldn't give any further details.