British TV network Channel 4 says Tom Cruise needs to "see the joke" in the incident involving the actor being squirted with water at a movie premiere.

Four men squirted water on Cruise at the London premiere of his film "War Of The Worlds" Sunday. Channel 4, which was behind the pranksters' action, said Cruise should "see the joke" in the soaking, reports celebrity portal Femalefirst.

A company 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. We hope Tom Cruise will be able to see the joke in the spirit with which it was intended."

The 42-year-old was giving interviews to journalists at Leicester Square's Odeon cinema when he was soaked with water squirted from a bogus microphone.