Renée Zellweger says new Bridget Jones statue is “sweet”, adding, “It’s sweeter than me.”

The Oscar-winning actress has praised the freshly installed statue of Bridget Jones as “delightful”, explaining, “I think, it’s far more charming than me.”

Zellweger was commenting as the recently revealed statue celebrating the beloved figure she portrayed for more than 20 years was presented in London’s Leicester Square on the start of the week.

Bridget Jones was created in 1996 by writer Helen Fielding, and originally translated for the movies in the early 2000s. The newest movie debuted in recent months.

Talking at the ceremony, Fielding did not dismiss writing more, stating you should “avoid closing doors.”

The star added that audiences can connect with Bridget, which accounts for her massive popularity.

“It’s her openness, her humanity,” she said. “We identify in her, we relate in her challenges.

“It reassures us for the everyone else to be genuinely who we are. Imperfect.”

The character of Bridget Jones touched many women’s hearts, who took comfort in her personal journey.

From her embarrassing work incidents, to her infamous granny pants, Bridget spoke to a generation who found a mirror in her—and has recently won over a whole new set of new admirers too.

The fourth film in the franchise, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, was debuted in February, and sees Bridget living as a widowed mom and facing contemporary romance.

It received mixed reviews, but secured the best cinema debut ever for a romantic comedy in the region, according to data.

The film was billed as the last installment in the franchise—but speaking at the event, two superfans, Faye and Wayne, said they were convinced there would be a sequel.

“There were so many things that were left unresolved at the conclusion of the latest installment,” said Faye.

“Bridget keeps changing. I’d love to be with Bridget Jones all the way to the nursing home,” remarked Wayne.

When prompted about the prospect of a future story in Bridget Jones’ journey, Fielding said: “Anything is possible. Inspiration emerge as a writer. So if a concept was inspired that I thought was true and compelling and original then I would pursue it.”

Some think the imperfect and flawed protagonist, who’s preoccupied by her weight and love life, is not the ideal role model.

And Fielding personally has acknowledged in the past that some parts of the story feel dated.

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

But reflecting on Monday, she said she aspired the overarching idea of the novel would remain relevant for readers.

“I think, to have the reassurance of watching a character that you can relate to, because they are genuine and human and emotionally honest, it’s like having the companion you can be true with,” she said.

The sculpture is the first to honor a love story on the landmark’s Scenes in the Square trail.

The Scenes in the Square display originally launched in 2020 with the introduction of eight sculptures featuring comedy legends, Mary Poppins, Batman, Bugs Bunny, Don Lockwood, Paddington Bear, Mr Bean and Wonder Woman.

In the time since, statues of Harry Potter, the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones, the beloved dog and Indiana Jones have been added.