She was the icon for an entire generation - a boozy, self-deprecating, weight-obsessed, hopeless romantic we couldn't get enough of. And, at last, she's back.
It has just been announced that Bridget Jones is getting a long-awaited fourth film Mad About The Boy - with Renee Zellweger reunited with Hugh Grant's loveable rogue Daniel Cleaver and Colin Firth's romantic hero Mark Darcy.
But considering it's been eight years, a pandemic and a #MeToo movement since Bridget's last outing - and 23 years since the first - how well will the chain-smoker and her big knickers really go down with today's oh-so woke critics? Will the right-on Gen Z viewers be like Mark Darcy and love her "just the way she is"? Or is poor Bridget the next victim of cancel culture?
Gen Z writer Niamh Kirk knows what she thinks...
Known for her colourful language, huge knickers and unhealthy smoking habits, there's something still so loveable about Bridget Jones. But she is so unrealistic to women of today.
I was only three when when the first film was released and I wasn't even born when Helen Fielding first book hit the shelves in 1996, yet I remember first watching it at 15 and being somewhat in awe. Why was she so unlucky in love, why did she swear so much and why on earth did she not report her boss Daniel Cleaver for being so unprofessional?
She was clumsy, kind and funny and it made her addictive to watch. As I got to my 20s, Bridget also became somewhat relatable - especially after finding out first-hand how treacherous the world of dating is, how crude men can be and how sometimes saying the odd profanity really can make you feel a bit better.
But is it really the type of film that should be made today? The new film will pick up with Bridget as a mum, following the story of Helen's final novel. But the original, is effectively about a single 32-year-old woman who is completely and utterly obsessed with having a boyfriend... and calorie counting.
I thought dreaming about your future husband was something you grew out of when you came into the 'real world' but it seemed Bridget never did. As for the self-loathing about her weight, that would now be seen as 'triggering' to many women.
She has a good career granted, although one she often jeopardises for love. Then there's Bridget's lifestyle - which is a far cry from what people would class as a "priority" these days. Forget the impossibility of owning a flat in central London - that was implausible for women my age back in 2001 - but the whole pub culture has changed. Many Gen-Z people I know have ditched the pub.
Whereas she and her friends like to drink like a fish and smoke like a chimney, there isn't one of my friends who smokes, and our idea of spending time together is seeking out a cosy coffee shop and sipping on an oat milk latte. Many people my age prefer going to pilates, running marathons, drinking green juices and generally avoiding hangovers - something you could never imagine Bridget doing.
And then there's that flirty work situation with her boss Daniel Cleaver. Remember their back and forth flirty messages about "the little skirt"? In the modern day, Daniel would be cancelled so quickly. Think MeToo movement.
Bridget Jones shows why men think they can get away with inappropriate actions. As women, we've come a long way - and we don't appreciate crude comments, especially at work. As for having a relationship with him? If that was today, many people would probably be quick to cancel Bridget. I hate cancel culture, but it's just not right. Daniel Cleaver would be sacked quicker than a politician changes their mind.
Perhaps the biggest change has been when it comes to love. The 15-year-old me was under the impression that having a boyfriend was the be-all and end-all (thanks, to Bridget). There was also a big emphasis on getting married and having children by a certain age, presumably why at 32, Bridget was so 'obsessed' with falling in love.
Now, women want something completely different. With more emphasis on 'self-care' and 'self-love' it’s become almost impossible for men to try and compete with a strong independent woman who knows exactly what she wants. Women love doing things for themselves, being their own biggest fans and knowing their worth. Girlpower.
Plus, the idea of an 'ideal' man is vastly different to what it was in 2001. Back then it was a man who was probably a bit of an a***hole, who smoked, drank too much, lusted after women with small boobs and flat stomachs, had a good career and loved to flirt. The Daniel Cleaver.
On the other side was the stiff upper lip, hard to impress but secretly-romantic hero, Mark Darcy - the rude, misunderstood, and secretly sensitive soul who been hurt in the past, and needed Bridget's love as much as she needed his. The wounded bird literally unchanged from the Jane Austen character that inspired him.
In a world of Daniel Cleavers and Mark Darcys, women have come so far in not settling for less, and maybe that's why being single is a lot more common these days. But it's not as clear cut as I may make it sound.
Colleagues who were Bridget's generation have a different view. One was quick to point out how refreshing Bridget is, and was, next to the other female roles of the time.
"We were coming out of the heroin chic era of the 90s," said one. "A time when size zero was the new thing and the Kate Moss era was in full swing. It was all about flat stomachs, low rise jeans and Paris Hilton's micro mini skirts. Next to that Bridget Jones and her big pants was a breath of fresh air. She was the one person on screen who was brutally honest about what most real women are like."
The infamous knickers are indeed as much a part of culture as Bridget herself. Women today will say they have "Bridget Jones knickers on" when referring to wearing anything other than a thong. It inspired shapewear and helped Kim Kardashian become a billionaire.
My colleagues made another point. With social media showing so many 'perfect' snaps of our friends, celebrities and influencers, people are so caught up in seeking validation online from others. How is that any different from Bridget worrying about making a fool of herself and looking for love from Mark and Daniel?
"You say Bridget is a bad influence because she's obsessed with her weight," says our columnist Jessica Boulton. "But today's youngest generation isn't really as woke and accepting as they like to pretend.
"People say they are all about promoting difference and embracing body positivity: That we should all love ourselves just the way we are. But that's the lesson Bridget (and Mark Darcy) taught us, not the lesson Gen Z is teaching us. We're more looks-obsessed than ever. We just say we're not.
"Look at today's dating apps - you swipe left or right based on a picture alone. And look at social media and reality TV - it's not some normal slightly-plump girl with no make up like Bridget, crying into her ice cream, getting likes.
"It's the one posting bikini selfies - with hair extensions, fake tan, a flattering filter, a ring light, a liberal dose of PhotoShop, four hours in make up and a whole bunch of fillers. Bridget might be ditzy and she certainly should have cut out the smoking, but she's a far more honest, natural and healthier role model than many famous females today."
It's true - Bridget Jones was real, she didn't care if she had her big knickers on show, she didn't care if she had a ladder in her tights or that she went to a family party dressed as a Playboy Bunny, she was chaotic, emotional and very real.
She was the 'everyday woman' she wasn't photoshopped, and she wasn't flaunting around in a bikini on social media with a filter on to smooth her skin, she was just being herself. However, unlike my colleagues, I don't think 'being herself' was a healthy representation of what women today are, and Marc Darcy is not, and will never be, the right man.
Do you have a story to share? Email Niamh.Kirk@reachplc.com