Bridget Jones 3: Hugh Grant will not reprise role as Daniel Cleaver

The actor said the script was very different to the book

Hugh Grant thinks he's getting too old for "out and out" romcoms (Getty Images)

Hugh Grant has said he won’t be appearing in Bridget Jones 3 - because he’s not too keen on the script.

The 54-year-old actor, who played love rat Daniel Cleaver in the first two adaptations of Helen Fielding's books, said he had opted not to revive the role.

“The book’s excellent, by the way, but the script is completely different – well, the script as I last saw it a few years ago,” Grant told Free Radio.

“In the end I decided not to do it, but I think they’re going to go ahead and do it without Daniel.

“They’ll bring in some fresh blood.”

The film, tiled Bridget Jones’ Baby, has faced a myriad of obstacles since it went into production in 2012.

Grant’s publicist previously issued a statement that said: “Hugh is keen that Bridget Jones 3 happens, but Renee, Colin and he all have some issue with the present script. They are hoping to help work them out.”

Grant has also recently said that he believes he is getting too old for the romantic comedies that made his name.

Speaking about his latest movie, The Rewrite, he said: “This film's more of redemption story, with many other aspects to it.

“I do think that if it was just me and a girl batting our eyelids at each other in a full-out romantic comedy, I would look a little sinister and weird at the age of 54.”