Why The New Bridget Jones Book Has Broken Our Hearts

Bridget Jones fans have taken to Twitter to express their horror at new plot twists in Helen Fielding's upcoming Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Bridget Jones fans have taken to Twitter to express their horror at new plot twists in Helen Fielding's upcoming Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.

Extracts from the highly anticipated book, the third instalment in the best-selling Bridget Jones series, that were published in this weekend's Sunday Times Magazine, revealed that author Helen Fielding has killed off fan favourite and lead romantic character, Mark Darcy (immortalised on-screen by Colin Firth).

The new book sees Bridge as a 51-year-old widowed mother-of-two - '35 if anyone asks' - who is dating a toy boy as she comes to grips with the death of Mark five years earlier.

Fans immediately took to Twitter to express their shock and horror at this unexpected twist, claiming they were 'traumatised,' 'gutted' and perplexedly asking 'Why?!' Other Bridget Jones lovers declared the news put them off reading the book entirely.

The published extracts also reveal that Bridge is still counting calories and text messages from her latest paramour, while ex-flame Daniel Cleaver is very much in Bridget's life as 'naughty godfather' to Bridget's two children, Mabel and Billy, 'who can be relied upon for babysitting duties and inappropriate sexual advances towards their mother.'

The plot focuses on Bridget's debut film script - 'a modern-day update of a Chekhov classic, set in Queen's Park' - her new toy boy Roxster and follows Bridge as she tries to navigate the minefields of Internet dating and alpha mums at the school gate.

The book rights have reportedly already been purchased, so Renee Zellweger is likely to reprise her alter-ego on the big screen and embark on a cake-only diet shortly.

But will fans be too angry to watch?

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