Tom Cruise pranksters also hit Sharon Osbourne
The pranksters who drenched Tom Cruise with water at his film premiere last night have also targeted Sharon Osbourne.
The team from new Channel 4 show Grand Classics carried out the same stunt with Osbourne last month.
A cameraman began filming the reality TV star as she walked through London’s West End – only for his “camera” to squirt her with water.
But while Cruise lost his cool, Osbourne, 52, decided to get even.
She dived into a nearby restaurant and filled a champagne bucket with water, which she threw over the cameraman.
Four men were arrested last night for allegedly drenching Cruise at the Leicester Square premiere of War Of The Worlds.
They were bailed to return for questioning later today.
A Channel 4 spokeswoman confirmed the team were filming Grand Classics.
The show features pranks on celebrities and members of the public and is scheduled for broadcast later this year.
“The water squirting was not intended to cause offence and was very much in a spirit of fun,” the spokeswoman said.
Cruise was answering questions in front of a 5,000-strong crowd when a bogus reporter stuck out a joke microphone and used it to squirt water into Cruise’s face.
The furious actor demanded: “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.
Following the altercation, Cruise, 42, 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, 26, 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.
Channel 4 today apologised to Cruise over the prank.
In a statement, the broadcaster said: “The incident that took place on Sunday evening involving Tom Cruise was for a new Channel 4 Entertainment show, part of which involves playing light-hearted comedy pranks on celebrities and members of the public.
“The stunt was intended to be light-hearted rather than malicious and we would apologise to Mr Cruise for any offence that was caused.”
