Bridget Jones's Baby: Colin Firth admits he didn't think sequel could work without Hugh Grant

'We all have a reasonable scepticism of sequels'

It's been 14 years since Bridget Jones was last in cinemas, but now the character - played by Renée Zellweger - is back in Bridget Jones's Baby alongside Colin Firth and new cast addition Patrick Dempsey.

One notable absence, however, is Hugh Grant who plays Daniel Cleaver in the 2000 original Bridget Jones's Diary and its sequel The Edge of Reason, released in 2004.

If some fans are worried the series won't be the same without him, Firth admits he initially had the same fears.

The Independent spoke to The King's Speech Oscar-winner at the film's UK press junket and asked if he was disappointed he didn't get to reunite with his on-screen love rival.

"Yeah, well at first I thought: 'it can't possibly work,' he said, before quipping: "I had no idea [Hugh] would prove to be completely irrelevant."

"I thought it couldn't work without Hugh. I think it was really only once Patrick [Dempsey] showed up and [defined] it so well that I thought 'no, we're fine.'"

Firth also praised his co-star Zellweger stating it was "wonderful" to work with her again.

"[Seeing Renée] was when I knew or started to become optimistic that this was worth doing because I had as many doubts as everyone else - we all have a reasonable scepticism of sequels.

"But when I saw how alive she was in the role, I thought this may be in good shape."

At the same junket, co-chairman of production company Working Title Eric Fellner revealed if he could pick one of its past films to make a sequel of, he'd pick Richard Curtis film Love Actually - news which later sent a shiver down Firth's spine.

Bridget Jones's Baby is in cinemas now.