Celebs descend on the Strand to film Bridget Jones
Colin Firth, Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Jeremy Paxman were all spotted
You would forgive tourists for thinking they were in Hollywood yesterday, as the Strand welcomed major film stars on the set of the new Bridget Jones film.
The St. Clement Danes Church, situated outside the Royal Courts of Justice and a stone’s throw away from the Strand Campus, played host to blockbuster names including Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jeremy Paxman and Jeremy Clarkson.
A huge crew of extras, which included women dressed elegantly in black, men in dark suits and a priest, were seen throughout the day – suggesting that a funeral will feature in the finale to the trilogy.
From as early as 3pm, lighting was assembled inside and outside to make it look as if the scene was shot during the day.
Meanwhile boxes containing props and costumes were carried in and out, leaving the surrounding pathways closed and blocked off by white vans.
Jeremy Paxman was the first big name spotted wandering around the set, after taking part in what appeared to be an interview just outside the church.
Later in the day, Sally Phillips – who plays Bridget’s best friend “Shazza” – and Hugh Grant were both spotted getting a bite to eat and some fresh air during the hectic day of filming.
Unfortunately, despite The Tab getting up close and personal with security guards in a quest for information, the set was on lockdown – with one bouncer telling onlookers to simply “go away”.
Later in the evening Colin Firth was seen getting into a private car, before returning to the set for one final run through – to the delight of gathered fans, which included keen King’s students.
Speaking during a break, an extra who didn’t want to be named exclusively told The Tab: “Renee doesn’t look as different as she did from those post-surgery photos, you couldn’t really recognise her from those.”
The extra claimed Hugh Grant would not be in the movie – but our sneaky sightings suggest otherwise.
He also spoke briefly about the life of an extra, adding: “We had to be here really early, but we didn’t even start shooting till about 2.
“Before that it was all costume and make up, which takes a lot of time for some. Personally, I just had a nap for a couple of hours until we were needed.”