Bridget Jones Is Sharing Her Self-Isolation Diary And It's All Too Relatable

Who doesn't remember Bridget Jones as their early noughties muse? From the characters hilarious and uncensored nature to the absurdity (but all too relatable) diary entries following the chronicles of everyday life and romance with both Mr Mark Darcy and hunky boss Daniel Cleaver, Renée Zellweger all but defined the decade.

Turns out, she's back to give us some much needed comic relief among the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Writer Helen Fielding, who first created the character in the form of her 'Bridget Jones' Diary' column for The Independent in 1995, has reimagined the lovable thirtysomething single woman to give her a 2020 twist, sharing her modern-day isolation diary.

Penning for The Times UK, Fielding introduces the new Bridget as she "searches for answers in the midst of a crisis that, for once, isn’t self-inflicted."

Below we've retrieved some of our favourite entries so far, and it's the much-needed comic relief you need:

Thursday March 26th⁠

Times per hour googled Coronavirus: 247. Nuisance calls to elderly neighbour to see if needs anything: 7. No of Uber-like texts from Volunteer Helpline calling self to arms: 0. Minutes spent opening hilarious viral videos and forwarding to everyone I know: 2,457. Times sniffed hyacinths to check if have lost sense of smell and have Coronavirus: 282. Minutes decluttering and reading classic literature: 0. Minutes staring at wall aghast with mouth open: 4,765. Calories: 8,765. Alcohol units: 12. Work done: 0. Exercise: 0. V. bad."

Thursday March 26th (today again)

8.45am Must stop reading diary and get ready for Zoom meeting. Ooh goody FaceTime: Tom, Shaz and Miranda...Will mute camera and quickly wash hair while Richard Finch is blathering intro.

Richard’s voice boomed out, “Bridget — for f***’s sake we can all see you in the shower. Charming as it is this is not appropriate behaviour in an apocalypse.

Tuesday March 24th

Look. Stop making such a fuss. Have always just wanted to watch telly in pyjamas eating ice cream.

So confusing that by doing nothing you’re doing your duty.

Must not moan or catastrophise but will be light of positive energy (ie, start drinking before Boris comes on).

Treat yourself to the full diary at The Times UK.

Grace Back

Grace Back is a journalist and was formerly the Digital Culture Editor across ELLE and marie claire Australia. When not stuck in a seemingly endless Instagram scroll, you'll find Grace with her head in a good book.

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