Bridget Jones has been relatable for generations of singletons, but now the romcom heroine is set to strike a chord with a very specific group of women who all too often get ignored in the fluffy world of romcoms - young widows.
Bridget's romantic escapades - and frequent clangers - ring just as true now in the age of dating apps as they did during the apparent Wild West era of '90s office dalliances. And as difficult as it may be for fans, Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy follows her new story following the death of the love of her life, Mark Darcy - the dashing Jane Austen-esque hero who always loved her 'just as she is'.
Now a mum-of-two dealing with awkward school pick-ups on top of her grief, viewers can expect to see a slightly different Bridget to the scattered, blue soup-making thirtysomething she once was. And her antics in the trailer have already had fellow widows cracking up.
This is certainly true for Nicky Wake, a 53-year-old mum who sadly lost her "soulmate" husband Andrew in 2020. Andrew, who Nicky describes as the "yin to her yang", suffered a heart attack in 2017, resulting in a catastrophic brain injury that left him requiring 24/7 around-the-clock care, without any hope of a "happy ending".
Up until this point, Nicky recalls, they were "the perfect little family", enjoying plenty of adventures and holidays together. Andrew's death changed everything, and Nicky, who was just 49 at the time, was left to raise their 17-year-old son Finn as a solo parent, all while working out the next chapter of her life.
As highlighted by Nicky, you don't often see many films highlight the dark humour of being a widow - but there is plenty to be found, and the "power of comedy" is sometimes the only way to deal with such a heavy situation.
Nicky, who has previously performed a stand-up set centred around widowhood, told the Mirror: "There are some really dark, humorous moments in being a widow and you have to have a black sense of humour, you know what I mean? Because it's the only way you get through it. If you don't laugh, you cry."
Lke many women, Nicky has long related to Bridget (apart from the sleeping with Hugh Grant part, she naughtily clarified). She laughed: "I think the big knickers resonate with us all. You never end up on a date when you've got your finest Victoria's Secrets on do you?"
And when she saw the trailer for the new Bridget, she had "tingles" up her spine, amazed that a series that has been such an "intrinsic" part of her life was once again reflecting her reality. "Huge" Bridget fan Nicky, who is based in Manchester, can't wait to see the new film, and is now even considering sorting out a viewing outing for members of Widowed and Young (WAY), the young widows' organisation which has proven to be a "lifesaver" for her in recent times.
Expressing how "important" this story will be for countless women moving forward - not on - as widows, Nicky also touched on part of the film that will likely resonate with so many - dipping a toe in the dating pool after finding and losing 'the one'.
Nicky, who had planned on "growing old disgracefully" with Andrew, reflected: "The whole idea of beginning to date again, it is incredibly daunting and terrifying because as widows, we all made our choices. We found our soulmates, we were happy!
"We thought we'd put that Bridget Jones-style life of dating and disasters behind us. And in actual fact, you know, it rears its head again. You know, I find myself laughing to myself when I'm on an absolutely terrible date, thinking, 'I could kill Andy if he wasn't dead already!'"
Considering one difference between herself and Bridget, Nicky cheekily added: "I haven't personally had experience of a toyboy, maybe that's what I need!"
Knowing that she "deserved some joy" after a terrible few years, Nicky did decide to start dating again, much like Bridget in the film. She and Andrew had met via datingdirect.com back in the '00s, but her return to the dating scene proved to be a "very different ball game".
Nicky shared: "You know, A) I was dating a 50 year old woman, not a 25 year old girl. But also, you know, it's like the Wild West out there. I did Tinder, I did Bumble, I did Hinge. And it's full of d*** pics and ghosting and, you know, married men and things. And it was awful. And I was a really raw widow and I was going into these awful dates. I'm thinking there has to be a better way."
She continued: "I had a few dates with a guy and he said something about grieving and he said, 'you can't still be grieving!'. I thought, 'Yeah, I'm going to grieve for the rest of my life'. And I thought, men who aren't widowed don't understand."
It was at this point that Nicky, who previously worked in events, was inspired to channel her experinces into a new endeavour - an online dating platform for widows and widowers she named 'Chapter Two' - a term often used in widowing circles to describe a significant relationship after a loss.
Three years later, with some 15,000 members across the UK, USA, Canada and Australia, Chapter Two has already led to two marriages and five engagements. Nicky has also branched out to create a "fun, flirty, no strings attached" sister site, WidowsFire dating, "intended for widows and widowes who aren't ready for a significant relationship but want to scratch an itch, shall we say".
Although Nicky did intend to find her next special someone via Chapter Two, she now sees it as a bit of a conflict of interest, and instead finds great "joy" in making "other people happy", remarking: "That's almost as good as it as me finding a new partner." Using a typically Bridget turn of phrase, she added: "I'm still tragically single but, you know, available if anyone's looking."
Reflecting on Bridget's enduring popularity, Nicky said: "I think that was why she was such a success because she was so relatable. And, undoubtedly, you know, the dating disasters is probably the bit that resonates most with me. And and the irony being that as a widow, I'm back to that world like Bridget is you know? Andy was the one time I got it right, and I lost him sadly! But yes, I'm sure he would be smiling that my life, once again. resembles Bridget Jones."
Rebecca Dixon - known as Bex to pals - also found herself chuckling away in recognition after seeing the new Bridget trailer. Although a number of those she's spoken to have struggled to see how humour can come out of such a seemingly tragic story, Bex views things quite differently.
Picking up on some of the funnier moments from the trailer, the 44-year-old mum-of-two told the Mirror: "Some things that I've actually done myself, like turning up to school in my pyjamas. Nobody knows I'm in my pyjamas because I've got my big coat on over the top. But, you know, that's the sort of thing you do to get through dark days."
Hairdresser Bex, who lives in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, was widowed in 2018. Her husband James Dixon was diagnosed with cancer just four days before their wedding, and, despite it all, they still managed to have an "amazing day". They welcomed two children during their six years together, Brody and Blake, now eight and ten.
Bex, who describes James as the "love of her life", shared: "I have made a life for myself as a widow, just trying to make the best of a bad situation. And I work full time. I raise my children, which obviously comes with lots of challenges, as you can imagine. But we just do the best we can and we look for little glimmers of hope in the darkness."
After James died, Bex joined Widowed and Young (WAY), which has proven to be a "pillar of strength" for her in a country where "death in this country is still a very taboo subject regardless of your age." She added that this was especially true when "you're young and widowed and you have children".
Bex said: "You have to turn up at the school gate and you get that sort of stigmatism that people look at you and go, 'Oh there's that widow!'. I feel that, in this day and age, even though we're in the modern era, that you're still expected to walk around with a black bell over your head, never to look at another man or woman again, that sort of scenario."
Although she understands that some people in her position may be "triggered" by the new Bridget movie, Bex is "excited" to buy her ticket. Bex explained: "I'm actually really interested to watch it and see how it's portrayed. Because even though my life is challenging now as a widow, you know, you become a single parent overnight, the whole way your life is changes in a second. Because the way you eat, sleep, make decisions, the whole way you live is completely different once you're alone.
"And it would just be really interesting to see how that's portrayed, and to bring it to the forefront and to get it out there in the media. I just think is so important. Because there's a lot of us out there. You know, cancer is really prevalent in this country at the moment, as is male suicide."
For Bex, these life changes have seen her take on a lot of "running around" in the week, keeping up with her boys' various clubs and activities. And although she will often venture out in her PJs like Bridge, she hasn't been referred to as a "granny" just yet.
Her new role has also meant having some painful conversations, and there is one moment in the film that Bex believes she will find particularly difficult. Bex shared: "Every night, my eldest says to me, 'I just really miss daddy'. And there's a bit in the film where she says, 'Do you miss daddy?', and she says, 'Always'. And that's what I say to my eldest. I say, 'I will always, always miss daddy, because that's okay to miss him, because he's not here'. And that bit will really get me."
Like Nicky, Bex is also a big Bridget fan, describing the character as "brilliant". Having followed the most famous singleton's story from the very beginning, Bex joked: "My twenties were probably quite similar."
Bridget Jones is a classic comedic character, not known for having particularly dark or serious thoughts - unless they involve being found eaten by Alsatians of course. And for Bex, this is what makes this sequel so very powerful, particularly in regards to the nurturing, caregiving roles women are expected to keep up, even under the most devastating of circumstances.
Bex reflected: "She is the perfect character to bring this to light in a humorous way because, you know, that's who she is. And unfortunately, death, it can happen to anybody. It could happen to the funniest person, the sweetest person, the most disorganised person, the most organised person. It takes no prisoners.
"And, you know, just for her as that bubbly character, just a little bit clumsy and a little bit haphazard in her life, you know, means that there's hope for us all. Because if she can do it, we can all do it."
As noted by Bex, dating as a widow or widower is a far different experience than dating as a divorcee, reflecting 'You can't replace them. It's about just moving on to a new chapter, I think'. And while divorcees may be able to count on their ex to watch the children during Saturday night dates, those who are widowed have no such luxury.
With this in mind, Bex is pleased to see Bridget back out seeking a new significant other while still naturally missing her husband, shedding light on an area of romance rarely seen in popular culture. Bex continued: "It's also really important because there is that life after death. There is life beyond being widowed. It's not always easy to see in the first few years, you have to come out of the fog. But then ultimately, you do want to find someone to share your life with. And I think that needs to be okay with society."
You can catch Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy in cinemas nationwide from February 13.
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