Bridget Jones 4 sounds like it's in the pipeline

Director Sharon Maguire wants to explore further 'chapters of Bridget's life'

Renee Zellweger has played Bridget Jones in three films so far (Universal Pictures)

The return of Bridget Jones has been welcomed with open arms by many of us, but met with groans by others who thought the hapless heroine had bid us farewell with The Edge of Reason twelve years ago.

Those in the latter category might want to cover their ears, as it sounds like a fourth, fifth and even a sixth film might be in the pipeline.

Director Sharon Maguire has hinted that she would be keen to explore further stages of Bridget’s life having seen her date the wrong man, marry the seemingly right one and have a mystery father’s baby so far.

“There are loads of chapters in Bridget’s life we haven’t had,” she told Radio Times. “We haven’t had Bridget and the menopause, we haven’t had Bridget and the school run.

“There are lots of places to go. She’s always reflected my life back at me at every stage. I’m not done yet so I don’t think Bridget is either.”

Thankfully for Maguire, Bridget herself Renee Zellweger is also keen to keep the franchise going, telling Time Out that it would be interesting and “quite hilarious” to watch her character “improvising her way through motherhood”.

Bridget Jones’s Baby arrives in UK cinemas on Friday 16 September.