Hugh Grant says 'no role' for him in Bridget Jones 4 film and he was 'crammed in'

Hugh Grant has reprised his role as Daniel Cleaver for the fourth instalment of the Bridget Jones film series

Veteran actor Hugh Grant is set to revive his character, the infamous love cheat Daniel Cleaver, in the upcoming Bridget Jones flick though he disclosed that his return was nearly not on the cards.

The esteemed 64-year-old actor, renowned for his roles in Notting Hill and Four Weddings And A Funeral, graced the first two films of the franchise alongside Renee Zellweger's portrayal of Bridget, as Daniel Cleaver vied with Colin Firth's Mark Darcy for her heart.

Cleaver faced a presumed demise in an aeroplane accident and was notably absent from the third instalment; however, in a twist, the finale revealed he had somehow survived. Meanwhile, Bridget seemed to have settled down happily, getting hitched and starting a family with Mark.

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Yet, ahead of its Valentine's Day 2025 release, Grant has cautioned fans to temper their expectations for a relentlessly comedic ride from the new addition. Chatting on The Graham Norton Show, he commented: "It's actually a very good and moving script, and I say that as someone who is horrid about scripts."

Explaining the backdrop to the script's emotional resonance, he recounted: "Because Helen Fielding [Bridget Jones author] had a sad story. She got married to an American screenwriter and they had children, then he died, and she raised the children by herself. Then she started writing a novel about a woman raising children by herself with a dead father and husband. She realised the character was a bit like Bridget, so made it into a Bridget Jones book. As well as being extremely funny, it's very, very sad.", reports the Mirror.

Hugh Grant has opened up about the challenges of reintroducing his character Daniel Cleaver into the latest movie, admitting: "There was absolutely no role for Daniel Cleaver, as far as I could see, but they wanted to cram me in. So we sat down together."

He also expressed his initial reservations about the character's development: "I'm quite difficult these days and I felt what they proposed was fine, but not great. I felt he needed a third dimension. He's in his 60s now, he can't just be making his way down the King's Road eyeing up young girls. So they invented well, I invented a rather good interim story."

While Hugh didn't divulge too much, it's clear that Bridget's life will take centre stage in the upcoming film. Tragically, Mark, mirroring the fate of writer Helen Fielding's own husband, passes away in the storyline, leaving Bridget to cope with widowhood.

The plot is set to follow Bridget as she juggles being a single mother with exploring the world of dating apps. She seems to find some excitement with a younger man known as Rockstar, portrayed by Leo Woodall, the 28 year old actor from 'One Day' and 'The White Lotus'.

Additionally, Bridget is expected to have an encounter with a PE teacher named Mr Walker, brought to life by '12 Years A Slave' star Chiwetel Ejiofor. With all these developments, fans are left wondering if there's a chance for Bridget to rekindle her intermittent flame with Daniel Cleaver.

The anticipation builds as audiences await the film's release on February 14.

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