Colin Firth & Hugh Grant raise money with Bridget charity lot

Colin Firth and Hugh Grant helped to raise $88,000 for charity by bumping up bids at an auction for an appearance in the next Bridget Jones movie.

The two actors' characters battle it out for the affections of Jones, played by Renee Zellweger, in the hit movies, and they put their rivalry to good use at a fundraiser in London on Friday (20May11).

One lot in the auction was for a walk-on part in the third movie, and Hugh Grant put in an opening bid of $16,000 .

Colin Firth then pledged even more to rival the Notting Hill actor before an unnamed bidder won the lot for $88,000, according to Britain's Daily Star.

The cash will go towards broadcaster Mariella Frostrup's Gender Rights and Equality Action Trust (GREAT) initiative, which aims to create greater gender equality in developing countries.