Keir Starmer was 'inspiration' for hot movie character - as he jokes he's 'brimming with manly passion'

The Bridget Jones books and films are some of the most popular to have been created, thanks to their relatability and humour. Author Helen Fielding penned the first novel in the series in 1996, after creating the character for a newspaper column.

The films starred Renee Zellweger as Bridget - arguably her most iconic and famous role. Her love interests, Daniel Cleaver and Mark Darcy, were played by Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, respectively.

The character of Mark, also referred to as Mr Darcy, caught the attention of many people at the time, who wondered if he was inspired by a real-life man. It has long been rumoured that Helen used Keir Starmer as her inspiration for the character.

Mark is a clean-cut and handsome human rights lawyer, who Bridget eventually ends up beginning a relationship with. At the time of the character's creation, Keir, 61, was working as a human rights lawyer and had been involved in some high-profile trials.

Comparisons between Mark and Keir have long been made, but author Helen had always remained tight-lipped about the people she used as inspiration for her characters. Keir, who is now the leader of the Labour Party, laughed off the rumours during an interview on Piers Morgan's Life Stories.

Piers began: "You were quite a dashing human rights lawyer, prompting rumours that you were the inspiration for the character of Mark Darcy from the Bridget Jones novels. One of your friends was quite put out, saying that you were better looking than Colin Firth."

He added: "There's a great quote here from a site called 'My Barrister Boyfriend', they featured you on their list of hotties. On their write-up, they said, 'We suspect Keir is brimming with manly passion.' Are you brimming with manly passion?"

Keir simply laughed at the question, and joked: "Always brimming with manly passion!"

The politician has said he has no idea if he was used as inspiration for Mr Darcy, previously telling ITV: “Everybody asks me this question when they should be asking her because she knows the answer and I don’t.”

Helen finally ended all speculation in 2020. She said Mark was not based on Keir, but did admit the politician reminds her of the character.

Speaking to Radio Times, Helen said: “Well, I think he’s fantastic. But no, I’ve never met him. They are very similar, though. He’s so good and decent and intelligent, but so buttoned up.

"I always want to say: ‘Come on, Keir, loosen your tie, ruffle up your hair.’ He doesn’t think of himself as sexy, but he’s really sexy. And when he and Boris spar, it does remind me of Mark and Daniel.”