Bridget Jones's London  

Film London – September 16, 2016

Bridget Jones’s Baby was delivered on September 16, and while Bridget’s life may have moved on in strange, new, hilarious ways, there was really only one city that could ever be the backdrop to her adventures: London.

“With the first film nobody knew quite what it was, but this time we were welcomed with open arms,” says director Sharon Maguire of the film’s return to London – a city with which the character is synonymous. “It was really moving, actually, to go around your own city and for people to say ‘oh, I know that; I know the street where that bit was filmed’.”

Love for Bridget

Indeed, such was the city’s love for the character that the team – with the help of ace Location Manager Camilla Stevenson – were able to unlock parts of the city that hadn’t previously opened their doors to feature film production, namely the London Aquatics Centre and the Supreme Court. “We went to the Supreme Court because, of course, Mark Darcy has moved on in his career and is now a Supreme Court lawyer,” explains Maguire. “We thought they’d turn us down, but amazingly they said yes, which was fantastic. We were also allowed to film in the Old Bailey, which was unbelievable – it’s so beautiful it’s shocking.”

Producer and co-chair of Working Title Films Eric Fellner expands on the goodwill that the character brings out in the city. “We make a lot of films and much of the time it’s a question of ‘ehh, well, maybe...’ but as soon as we mentioned Bridget the answer is ‘yes, no problem’. When I tell my friends who are barristers that we filmed in the Supreme Court they can’t believe it – it shows how loved the character is.”

Bridget’s home

As well as opening hallowed halls and breaking new ground in terms of access, there was one part of the city that Team Bridget knew they had to return to her singleton’s pad above the Globe pub in Borough Market. Maguire continues: “When we first went there it was just a market surrounded by some quite run-down buildings, and now it’s one of the most chi-chi places in London to live. We rationalised that Bridget could still afford to live there because she got on the property ladder just as another railway was going in line beside her flat – now she has one either side of her flat, and the whole place rattles.”

Producer and Head of Film at Working Title Films Debra Hayward expands on Borough’s pivotal role in the Bridget story. “It’s our hero location in a way, and seeing how it’s changed since the first film is just incredible,” she says. “It adds a massive amount of vibrancy and colour to the film and, being where she lives, it also represents her as a character.”

A powerhouse production company

Beyond the Bridget Jones series, multi-award-winning production company Working Title Films has been responsible for a range of popular London-centric titles like Notting Hill, Love Actually and Legend, and the team are well aware of not only the city’s iconic sights, but also its status as a filmmaking mecca and the positive impact staying rooted in the UK has on the industry itself.

“There’s a reason Working Title has remained headquartered in the UK,” says Fellner. “Culturally we feel we’re better suited making films set here than anywhere else. It doesn’t mean all of our films will be set here, but predominantly they are. Successive governments have created an environment where the UK – and London especially – is competitive on a global basis in terms of filmmaking. I’m also passionate about seeing British filmmakers, technicians and craftspeople growing an industry, so it’s something of a virtuous circle.”

Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “Bridget Jones is a cultural phenomenon: a universally-relatable character who’s also a quintessential Londoner. This latest instalment serves as an excellent example of how the city can help create iconic cinema, from opening up locations for the first time to ensuring big setpiece sequences can take place in some of the city’s busiest areas. It’s also a testament to the creativity and talent of Working Title Films, a great British production company with a tremendous track record for putting our city – and our country – at the very heart of their films. We’re thrilled to have had Bridget back in the capital, and I’m sure audiences around the world will be equally delighted.”