The stand-in squeeze

His real girlfriend was nowhere to be seen. But with a stunning Renee Zellweger on his arm, Hugh Grant was hardly complaining last night.

The pair are co-stars of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, which had its premiere on a cold and drizzly London evening.

While Miss Zellweger dazzled onlookers in a red and gold dress, Grant's real-life partner, Jemima Khan, slipped into the Odeon Leicester Square almost unnoticed.

Photographers didn't even manage to get a picture of Miss Khan's outfit as she arrived. It was a far cry from the days when Grant's former girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley made such occasions her speciality.

Indeed it is ten years since Miss Hurley wowed audiences in a stunning Versace dress at the opening of Four Weddings And A Funeral.

The camera- shy tendencies of his latest squeeze seem to have spread to Grant himself.

He earlier told reporters this would be his last premiere - and his last film.

It was left to Texan-born Miss Zellweger to steal the show in a dress from the new British label Marchesa.

She refused to deny reports that

she is to marry Jack White, lead singer of the band The White Stripes, in a Christmas ceremony, saying simply: 'I have absolutely no comment on that.'

Others present at last night's premiere included the film's other co-star Colin Firth with his wife Livia plus Robbie Williams, Sir Elton John and David Furnish, new European Commissioner Peter Mandelson.

Also there was racing driver Jenson Button's fiancee Louise Griffiths, who appeared in Fame Academy.

In the latest Bridget Jones film, the hapless title character hits trouble once again when her former boss and old flame, the womanising heart-throb Daniel Cleaver (Grant) arrives back on the scene just as she is about to settle down with Mark Darcy, played by Firth.