Will Bridget Jones Get a Modern Makeover in Her New Novel?

It seems like only yesterday we were dog-earring our copies of Bridget Jones’ Diary, relishing her misadventures as she struggled with embarrassing situations at work (drunk at the holiday party) and a flat-lining love life.

But believe it or not, it’s been 14 years since that novel was published, selling 15 million copies, spawning a sequel and two successful movie adaptations. On Tuesday, the news broke that Bridget will return in a third installation to publish this November.

"Few writers can rival Helen Fielding when it comes to fully capturing the modern woman," said Sonny Mehta, the editor in chief of Alfred A. Knopf, Fielding’s publisher.

Undoubtedly fans will rejoice, but where will the calorie-counting, cigarette-smoking Bridget Jones fit in this brave new world of yoga, gluten-free diets, and juicing?

“Sunday, January 1. 129 lbs (but post-Christmas), alcohol units 14 (but effectively covers 2 days as 4 hours of party was on New Year's Day) . . . cigarettes 22, calories 5424.” This diary entry from the first novel could appear in an episode of HBO’s Girls, but Bridget, in 2013, might have to clean up her act.

Some have speculated that the third novel may chronicle Bridget’s new role as a mom. One Facebook commenter, referencing Bridget’s penchant for journaling, wrote, “Bridget Jones: The Mommy Blog Years?”

Author Helen Fielding has alluded to the fact that his will be a very different Bridget. “My life has moved on,” Ms. Fielding said in a press release, “and Bridget’s will move on, too.”

Hopefully Bridget will have moved on from her intense body-consciousness. Whether she’s navigating motherhood, divorce, or something more sinister, we hope there will be no more of this: “I can actually feel the fat splurging out from my body. Never mind. Sometimes you have to sink to a nadir of toxic fat envelopment in order to emerge, phoenix-like, from the chemical wasteland as a purged and beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer figure.”

That said, Bridget’s ineptness in the face of ugly Christmas sweaters, cheating boyfriends, and a nice glass of Chardonnay (or five) makes her a breath of fresh air in comparison to the wheatgrass slurping fembots of today. So welcome back Bridget—we hope you’ve changed—but not too much.