New Bridget Jones Book 'Mad About The Boy' Coming From Author Helen Fielding

Bridget Back With A New Book
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The title of the first Bridget Jones novel in 14 years has been announced - Mad About The Boy.

The book is author Helen Fielding's third about the hapless singleton, following Bridget Jones's Diary, which was published in 1996, and sequel The Edge Of Reason in 1999.

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Helen Fielding

The books sold more than 15 million copies in 40 countries and were adapted for the movies starring Renee Zellweger in the lead role, Colin Firth as Mark Darcy and Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver.

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, which will be published on October 10, is set in present day London and "represents a totally new phase in Bridget's life".

An extract released by publishers showed that Jones is still prone to mishaps.

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Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones

She writes after sending a text message: "You see, this is the trouble with the modern world. If it was the days of letter-writing, I would never even have started to find his address, a pen, a piece of paper, an envelope, a stamp and gone outside at 11.30pm to find a postbox.

"A text is gone at the brush of a fingertip, like a nuclear bomb or Exocet missile. Dating Rule No 1: Do not text when drunk."

A statement from publishers Jonathan Cape said: "Bridget is older, she is still keeping a diary, but she is also immersed in texting and experimenting with social media, with an emphasis on 'social'!"

Jonathan Cape publishing director Dan Franklin said: "As a comic writer, Helen is without equal. Over 15 years ago she gave a voice to a generation of young women with the original Bridget book.

"Now they've grown up and she's doing it again....this time with all the joys and complications of social media."

Jones, who filled the pages of her diary with her failed efforts to find love and measured her life in the amount of cigarettes she smoked, units of alcohol she drank and number of calories she lost or gained, started life as a weekly column in The Independent in 1995.

Best-selling English author Fielding recently wrote that the dating scene had become even more difficult for women thanks to the advent of email, Twitter, Facebook and texting.

Writing in the margins of her novel Bridget Jones' Diary for a charity book sale, she said that she thought that finding a partner is "so much worse now".

Oscar-winning actor Firth recently dashed hopes that a third Bridget Jones film would be hitting the big-screen soon.

"Unfortunately, it might be a bit of a long wait. I wouldn't say that it's completely dead in the water, but the way it's going you might be seeing Bridget Jones' granddaughter's story being told by the time we get there," he quipped.

Who Should Play The New Bridget Jones?
Lena Dunham(01 of15)
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If the "Girls" creator and star has proven anything, it's that she's the master of self-effacing humor. (credit:Getty)
Jessica Simpson(02 of15)
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The singer's real-life weight-loss as a Weight Watchers spokeswoman would make all those diary entries extra meta. (credit:Getty)
Mila Kunis(03 of15)
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Because she's proved that she can carry her own in meaty roles in "Black Swan" and "Friends with Benefits." (credit:Getty)
Isla Fisher(04 of15)
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You can't go more traditional comedienne than Isla Fisher, wife of Sacha Baron Cohen and a bright star in films like "Wedding Crashers" and "Bachelorette." (credit:Getty)
Rebel Wilson(05 of15)
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A scarily talented comedic force from Australia who's already made a huge impression in "Pitch Perfect," "Bridesmaids" and "Bachelorette" -- and all within a year. (credit:Getty)
Elizabeth Olsen (06 of15)
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She's sure got scary down (see: "Martha Marcy May Marlene"), but we're betting the youngest Olsen sister can do comedy just as well. (credit:Getty)
Emma Stone(07 of15)
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Even though she's a movie star, Emma Stone has got that girl-next-door vibe thing down. (credit:Getty)
Jennifer Lawrence(08 of15)
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The "Hunger Games" actress's charming late-night interviews have shown that she's as terribly awkward as Bridget Jones on a first date. (credit:Getty)
America Ferrara(09 of15)
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We loved her as "Ugly Betty." We have a sneaking suspicion we'd love her even more as Bridget Jones. (credit:Getty)
Kat Dennings(10 of15)
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The 26-year-old actress could bring introduce a modern feel to the film franchise. (credit:Getty)
Zooey Deschanel(11 of15)
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A song-and-dance Bridget Jones? Why not. (credit:Getty)
Mindy Kaling(12 of15)
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Sharp-witted and quick-tongued makes Mindy Kaling a perfect recipe for the new Bridget Jones. (credit:Getty)
Kristen Wiig(13 of15)
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As the bitter best friend in "Bridesmaids," the former "SNL" star proved that she knows exactly what girls -- and hey, a bunch of guys, too -- want to watch. (credit:Getty)
Rachel McAdams(14 of15)
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Because Rachel McAdams' spunk ("Mean Girls") and softness ("The Notebook") means that she'd have the right range for Bridget. (credit:Getty)
Renée Zellweger(15 of15)
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Why replace the original? (credit:Getty)