Pegg legs it to top of box office

British actor Simon Pegg's new film How To Lose Friends and Alienate People has topped the UK and Ireland box office in its opening weekend.

The movie, based on journalist Toby Young's account of his attempts to fit in at a New York magazine, took £1.15m, keeping action thriller Taken at two.

Last week's number one, Tropic Thunder, dropped to third place, followed by Abba-themed musical Mamma Mia!

Jason Statham's remake of Death Race slipped one place to number five.

Holocaust drama The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas travelled in the opposite direction, moving up from seven to six.

UK & IRELAND BOX OFFICE

• 1. How To Lose Friends - £1.15m
• 2. Taken - £1.09m
• 3. Tropic Thunder - £987,191
• 4. Mamma Mia! - £771,647
• 5. Death Race - £448,059

The turnaround is surprising as the film is only showing in 175 screens - about half as many as the other films in the top 10.

Cop drama Righteous Kill, starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro slumped four places to seven.

Brideshead Revisited, the latest adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's 1945 novel, was a new entry at eight - a placing which may be considered disappointing by film company Disney.

The 3D animated children's feature Fly Me to the Moon debuted in ninth place, while The Women, starring Meg Ryan, rounded off the top 10.