He’s the badly behaved on-off boyfriend who has been in and out of Bridget Jones’ life since she met him as a twentysomething.
Now Daniel Cleaver is back again, apparently still trying to win the singleton’s heart in the forthcoming fourth film in the series, Mad About The Boy.
Hugh Grant is pictured here for the first time since returning to the role of caddish Cleaver, filming a scene in which he appears to kiss Renee Zellweger’s Bridget outside her house in Hampstead, North London. He is also seen talking to Bridget’s children, a boy and a younger girl.
Hugh Grant’s character appears to kiss Renee Zellweger’s Bridget outside her house in Hampstead, North London
He is pictured here for the first time since returning to the role of caddish Daniel Cleaver
A brooding Cleaver stalks past his red Mercedes during filming
The filming, which took place in an upmarket enclave called The Vale of Health, also features the Lothario’s vintage Mercedes sports car. And in keeping with his louche appearance, Cleaver has three buttons of his shirt undone.
Writer Helen Fielding and the movie’s producers were said to be ‘extremely keen’ to get Grant, 63, to reprise his role.
Rakish, floppy-fringed Daniel with bunny girl Bridget in the first film of the series, back in 2001
… now with a few more wrinkles but the same roguish charm
Bridget, played by Renee Zellweger, looks unimpressed by his efforts as she takes a stroll
The filming took place in an upmarket London enclave called The Vale of Health
Writer Helen Fielding and the movie’s producers were said to be ‘extremely keen’ to get Grant, 63, to reprise his role
Bridget once said she’d rather have a job ‘wiping Saddam Hussein’s arse’ than work for Cleaver. But they appear to have patched things up outside her fictional house in Hampstead
A source on the movie told The Mail on Sunday: ‘There was no way they couldn’t get Hugh for Bridget’s final outing.
‘Daniel has been such a huge part of her life and although he literally has no chance with her now it is only right he should be included.’
Renee really is mad about the boy in this charming shot of her with a young actor
But bad boy Daniel’s apparently in hot water with Ms Jones. What could he have been up to this time?
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is expected to be the last film in the hugely popular series
A source on the movie said: ‘There was no way they couldn’t get Hugh for Bridget’s final outing’
Cleaver is also seen giving some pointers to Bridget’s children, a boy and a younger girl
The shoot, in the upmarket London enclave, also features the Lothario’s vintage Mercedes sports car
Grant keeps dry under a brolly, and makes heavy weather of munching a snack, during a break from filming
A tender stroke on the cheek as Daniel attempts to woo his long-term love interest Bridget
Despite Daniel’s attempts to woo Bridget there is speculation she ends up with her children’s PE teacher, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. The singleton will also be seen enjoying a fling with a toyboy named Rockstar, played by One Day heartthrob Leo Woodall.
The only one of Bridget’s men yet to be seen on set is Colin Firth, who plays her human rights lawyer husband Mark Darcy.
In keeping with his louche appearance, Cleaver has three buttons of his shirt undone
A source on the movie said: ‘Daniel has been such a huge part of her life and although he literally has no chance with her now it is only right he should be included’
In the book version of Mad About The Boy, Cleaver’s love rival Mark Darcy is revealed to have died in a landmine accident in Sudan – leaving Daniel free to get to grips with Bridget
The Mail on Sunday first revealed that 55-year-old Zellweger was returning as Bridget Jones for this fourth and final movie outing earlier this year
In the book version of Mad About The Boy he is revealed to have died in a landmine accident in Sudan. However he is to appear in the film in what is expected to be a dream scene.
The Mail on Sunday first revealed that 55-year-old Zellweger was returning as Bridget Jones for this fourth and final movie outing earlier this year. It is set to be released on Valentine’s Day 2025.