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Renée Zellweger has described the freshly installed statue of Bridget Jones as “adorable”, adding, “In my opinion, it’s far more charming than me.”

The actress was talking as the recently revealed statue celebrating the character she portrayed for many years was uncovered in the iconic London square on Monday.

Bridget Jones was created in 1996 by writer Helen Fielding, and first adapted for the big screen in the early 2000s. The newest movie came out in recent months.

Commenting at the reveal, Fielding left open writing more, stating you should “never say never.”

The star explained that everyone can see themselves in Bridget, which accounts for her massive popularity.

“It’s her openness, her humanity,” she said. “We see our own reflections in her, we recognise ourselves in her journeys.

“It reassures us for the others to be authentically who we are. Flawed.”

The character of Bridget Jones resonated deeply with many female hearts, who felt understood in her trials and tribulations.

From her humorous work incidents, to her infamous granny pants, Bridget connected with a demographic who identified in her—and has attracted a whole new set of new admirers too.

The latest movie in the franchise, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, was debuted in February, and sees Bridget navigating life as a single mother and exploring contemporary romance.

It received divided opinions, but achieved the best theatrical launch ever for a love story in the UK and Ireland, according to industry sources.

The film was promoted as the conclusion in the saga—but commenting at the statue unveiling, two dedicated followers, Faye and Wayne, said they were convinced there would be a sequel.

“There were so many things that were not wrapped up at the end of the recent movie,” said Faye.

“Her character keeps changing. I want to be with Bridget Jones all the way to the retirement home,” remarked Wayne.

When prompted about the possibility of a next installment in Bridget Jones’ saga, Fielding said: “Anything is possible. Ideas emerge as a author. So if a narrative appeared that I thought was real and compelling and new then I would pursue it.”

Some think the floundering and imperfect lead, who’s obsessed over her body image and romantic situation, is not the ideal inspiration.

And Fielding herself has previously admitted that elements of the series have not aged well.

“Bridget Jones’s Diary couldn’t be written in the present day, written in this era, because all those male coworkers would be fired,” she said last year. “It was a completely other era.”

But speaking on Monday, she said she wished the wider message of the novel would still resonate for fans.

“Personally, to have the comfort of seeing a figure that you can connect with, because they are genuine and human and vulnerable, it’s like having the friend you can be honest with,” she said.

The sculpture is the first to commemorate a love story on Leicester Square’s Scenes in the Square walk.

The Scenes in the Square exhibition first debuted in 2020 with the installation of several statues including classic duos, Mary Poppins, Batman, Bugs Bunny, Don Lockwood, Paddington Bear, Mr Bean and Wonder Woman.

In the time since, statues of the boy wizard, the royal chair from Game of Thrones, the giant canine and Indiana Jones have been added.