Four bailed over Cruise premiere prank

Four men have been bailed following their arrests for allegedly drenching Hollywood star Tom Cruise with water at the London premiere of his new film.

The four were working on a new Channel 4 comedy programme and may now be charged with assaulting the A-list actor.

He reacted angrily to the prank, repeatedly calling the man who soaked him a “jerk”.

Scotland Yard said the men had been bailed to return for questioning later today.

Cruise was on a walkabout talking to some of the 5,000 fans who packed into Leicester Square yesterday for the star-studded premiere of War of the Worlds and was accompanied by his new fiance, actress Katie Holmes.

As he answered questions from journalists a bogus reporter, wearing a white and green t-shirt, stuck out a joke microphone and used it to squirt water into Cruise’s face.

The star struggled to maintain his composure and rounded on the man, saying: “Why would you do that ... why would you do that ... why would you do that?”

As the prankster offered a barely audible excuse, Cruise said: “Do you like thinking less of people, is that it?”

After an uncomfortable silence the joker went to walk away but Cruise said: “Don’t run away.”

He told his assailant: “That’s incredibly rude. I’m here giving you an interview and you do that ... it’s incredibly rude.”

Cruise then said forcibly: “You’re a jerk ... jerk ... you’re a jerk.”

The man was escorted away by security guards and taken inside the cinema where he and the three other members of his freelance camera crew were arrested.

A Channel 4 spokesman said: “The incident was for a new Channel 4 entertainment show part of which involves playing comedy pranks on celebrities and on members of the public.

“The water squirting was not intended to cause offence and was very much in a spirit of fun.”

Following the altercation Cruise dried himself off with a blue towel and carried on with his walkabout which ended up lasting well over two hours.

Batman Begins actress Holmes was never far from his side but was not next to him when he was squirted.

The couple, who got engaged in Paris recently after a whirlwind romance, kissed and held hands as they both signed autographs for fans.

Talking about his love for the 26-year-old actress Cruise, 42, raised both his arms and punched the air.

He said: “It feels great, magical. It’s beautiful and it’s extraordinary and I’m very happy.

“She’s terrific, generous and really smart and really funny. I just think it’s great to be in love.”

The twice married star said no date had been set for the wedding, adding: “I just proposed to her so we are going to see ... soon. We are going to sit down and think about it. There is going to be a wedding. We don’t know when, we don’t know where.”

Cruise said the film was a “great ride”, praising director Steven Spielberg and his 11-year-old co-star Dakota Fanning.

Cruise said: “I love Dakota, she’s a great actress. It doesn’t matter what age she is, she’s a great actress and I loved working with her.”

In the film, Cruise plays Ray Ferrier, a divorced dad who must save his children when aliens come to destroy the earth.

Spielberg had wanted to make War of the Worlds since he bought the script of Orson Welles’s radio play version 12 years ago.

The actor’s broadcast in 1938 famously proved so believable that it panicked listeners into believing the world was really under attack.