Channel 4's Friday night entertainment lineup struggled without the ratings boost provided by Big Brother, losing out to a repeat of 35-year-old Clint Eastwood movie Dirty Harry on Channel Five.

The Law of the Playground, a Grumpy Old Men-style talking heads series in which people reminisce about their school days, was watched by 1.3 million viewers and attracted a 7% share between 9.30pm and 10pm, according to unofficial overnights.

Channel 4 followed that between 10pm and 11pm with The Friday Night Project, which attracted 1.2 million viewers and an 8% share.

Five's Dirty Harry repeat drew 1.7 million viewers and a 9% share between 9pm and 11pm.

The Law of the Playground took a break last week to make way for the extended Big Brother final, but before that had benefited from being sandwiched between the two Friday night editions of the Channel 4 reality show.

Two weeks ago The Law of the Jungle attracted 3.4 million viewers and a 17% share.

And last Friday after the Big Brother final The Friday Night Project was watched by 1.9 million viewers and drew a 17% share.

On Friday night The Law of the Playground was also up against a Taggart repeat on ITV1, which attracted 3.7 million viewers and an 18% share over 90 minutes from 8.30pm.

Another repeat, The Vicar of Dibley, was watched by 3 million viewers and drew a 16% share on BBC1 from 9.30pm; while BBC2's Restoration Village attracted 2.7 million and 14% in the 9pm hour.

In The Friday Night Project slot, BBC1's 10pm news attracted 4.3 million viewers; a repeat of Billy Connolly's World Tour of England, Ireland and Wales on BBC2 was watched by 2.1 million; and Love Island on ITV1 drew 2.3 million.

Earlier on Friday, US sitcom The War at Home - already broadcast on E4 - launched on Channel 4 at 8pm, in a tough slot against EastEnders.

But in a further sign of the ratings malaise afflicting pretty much all new TV comedy at the moment, The War at Home attracted just 700,000 viewers and a 4% share.

In the same slot, EastEnders attracted 8 million viewers and a 42% share; BBC2's Gardeners' World Specials drew 2.4 million; and Five documentary The Black Mamba: Austin Stevens Adventures was watched by 1 million.

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