Murphy's Norbit is UK's top film

Eddie Murphy plays three different characters in Norbit

Eddie Murphy comedy Norbit has gone to the top of the UK and Ireland box office chart in its first week.

Panned by critics, the film sees Murphy play a mild-mannered man trying to escape his relationship with an obese woman - also played by Murphy.

Norbit, which took £1.9m between Friday and Sunday, was widely blamed for scuppering Murphy's chances of winning an Oscar for Dreamgirls.

British comedy Hot Fuzz fell to number two in the chart, earning £1.3m.

Costume drama Becoming Jane entered at number four, with fantasy thriller Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage, at number three and British crime film Outlaw another new entry at five.