Webchat with Helen Fielding - RESCHEDULED! Come and chat to Bridget Jones author TOMORROW, (Weds 14 December), 9-10pm

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Calling all Bridget Jones fans! We’re giving you the chance to put your questions to Helen Fielding who is joining us for a webchat on Thursday 27 October between 9 and 10pm.
Bridget Jones’s Baby: The Diaries is the latest installment charting the life of this literary phenomenon. Everyone who joins the webchat will be entered into a draw to win one of two SIGNED copies of Bridget Jones’s Baby: The Diaries.

Helen is one of the country’s greatest comic writers. Bridget Jones’s Baby is her sixth book and she is part of the screenwriting team on the three films. We're really honoured that she's agreed to give us her time on Thursday from her home in Los Angeles, so please do come along and join the chat. If you’re unable to make that time, feel free to post up a question in advance to this thread.

please note the webchat has been postponed. We're hoping it will take place next Wednesday (3 November) between 9 and 10pm. We have posted up a statement from Helen's team in the thread below.

Loved the books but please settle this for me. Bridget Jones is just obsessed with her weight, rather than actually overweight? The Americans just didn't understand this and thought they had to make her fat in the film..

Kimmy and you would.....

No no no...... the MATB cast is THIS....

Leather Jacket Man: Hugh Bonneville
Roxter: Chris Hemsworth in full Rush mode
Mr Wallaker: Daniel Craig (obvs).

I've already got the soundtrack in my head, Helen, if you're interested. No fee applies. You're welcome.

What is Bridget's favourite biscuit?

Sorry.

noeuf I'd shag them all obviously, snog Daniel, marry Jack (although I haven't seen the film yet) and avoid Mark. Sorry Mark.
Do like Colin Firth though. I could be polygamous and have all three Mon to Sat and day to myself Sunday greedy

Yeah, I might avoid Mark. Would deffo fall head over heels and waste my life moping over Daniel, get to 80 and kick myself if ditched Jack.

Hi Helen :)
Bridget with her big pants has remained my heroine since I first read her diaries way back when.
My question is, do people confuse you and Bridget a lot?

Awesome film loved it
Please make mad about the boy
In my head Minnie Driver should play the neighbour

Hi Helen,
In the first books Bridget is a lot more political. What does Bridget think about Brexit and would she consider entering politics herself? I think she'd be fab!

Vg

ImperialBlether, Mad About The Boy came out in 2013. The Baby Diaries book - the one I'm asking about - only came out on 11 Oct this year just after the film was released.

I haven't got a question but just wanted to say how BJ has brought great joy to my life over the last 20 years and to thank you in person. I read the first book when I was 20/21 years old and am 41 now. In particular my friends and I laughed our arses off at the latest film- I think this is possibly my favourite instalment in BJ's life. I recently rewatched the first film with my mum as well and we still love it. I cant wait to read the 'new' book. Thank you so much, Helen!

Have been a huge fan of the books since I 'borrowed' my mother's copy of the original, aged around 14. A very early lesson in avoiding the 'Daniels' in life .

Do you see any more Bridget in the future? Would she still be as mildly dysfunctional as ever - what would you see for 60+ Bridget? Would be fantastic to carry on a lifetime journey with her!

Hi Helen, I'm a huge fan of the Bridget Jones books and can't wait to read this latest novel! My question is: why did you decide to write them in the order you did, rather than chronologically? Thanks :)

In Mad About The Boy, Bridget is 50 isn't she? With very young children. Why did she and Darcy wait so long to have children, assuming they got married when she was in her mid-30's?

I would have preferred a film of Mad About The Boy than the alternative Bridget Jones's Baby. But everyone I know that has seen the film absolutely loved it, so hey, what do I know?

Hi Helen,
I'm actually due to study Bridget Jones's Diary in a literature class I'm taking alongside texts from Aphra Behn, Ann Radcliffe, Eliza Haywood, Frances Burney etc. I actually had to buy a new copy as I have lost my original . I was wondering how much you think your writing has been influenced by earlier women writers, and what your feelings are on 'chick lit' being such a generally disparaged genre in literary circles?
(I know that's two questions, but if you could just look the other way, mnhq, that would be great, ta.)

Hi Helen, I love your books - I WAS Bridget, back in the 90s in London.

How do you feel about the "Bridget doesn't do feminism any favours" comments? (I don't agree with these btw, I think you can love Bridge and be a feminist, I am both)

Emma Mabel is 5, Billy is 8, Bridge would have been widowed 47? and pregnant at 42/43 and again at 46. I had my last at 42 so it doesn't seem that old to me Looking forward to the answer though.

Kimmy I don't have a problem with Bridget having children in her 40's - loads of women have babies in their 40's - but I just felt that if she'd married Mark in her mid-30's she wouldn't have waited a few years to start her family. I would have preferred Bridget to be 45 not 50 Then I wouldn't have spent the entire book wondering if she'd had assisted conception, why there was no mention of it, and going off at a tangent instead of concentrating on the storyline.

Why has Bridget gone all American in the latest book? I know no-one in the UK who measures their weight in lb. Stones and pounds as she did in the first books (and I still do -vg) kilos if you must, but why did your editor get her mitts on lb?

How many times did you have to re write the books before final was completed and

2. how long was the idea for BJ germinating before it came to the page? How long from conception to finished book please.

Love your character. Do you still live in LA?
Thank you

Hi.can anyone tell me how I get onto the web chat with Helen fielding.
Thanks.

We're sorry to say that we're going to have to postpone tomorrow's webchat until next Wednesday. Helen and her team have asked us to post up the following statement:

“Sadly Kevin Curran, the Simpsons Writer and father of Helen’s young children, died yesterday after a long illness. Helen is thus unable to do tomorrow’s interview and needs to be with her children. She sends her huge apologies and asks for your understanding.”

We've sent our condolences and love to Helen and her family from us all at Mumsnet.

We'll keep you updated on timings for the rescheduled webchat next week.

Oh no! Poor Helen. What awful and and news. Please send her out love

Oh my word, I am so sorry to hear that