Clooney's in Tomorrowland

GRAHAM Norton has a lot on his plate this week – including an awful-looking beard – because he's busy preparing for tomorrow's Eurovision Song Contest in Austria, while finally landing an interview with Hollywood A-lister George Clooney about his new movie Tomorrowland, which is released today.

Clooney, known for his roles in Ocean's Eleven and Syriana, plays the jaded former boy-genius Frank, who joins teenage science-fan Casey (Britt Robertson) on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space called Tomorrowland.

The movie, which also stars British actor Hugh Laurie, is directed by Brad Bird, known for Academy Award-winning animated feature films Ratatouille and The Incredibles.

"I know that Brad is an optimist and he wanted to write a film that said that every time we turn on the news as we do and see how bleak it is, that it doesn't have to end that way; there's a future out there if you get involved, and I like the idea of it," Clooney said at the film's premiere.

"I loved the idea of the story. I liked the ending, I like the way they talked about those subject matters," he said while attending the event at at Disneyland, near Los Angeles, alongside his wife, Ama,l and cast members Robertson and Raffey Cassidy.

Norton will also chat to wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson about his forthcoming disaster film San Andreas. Rock music's most enduring couple Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne also take to the sofa to chat about their latest projects and the decision to call a halt to their TV show The Osbournes. Plus, there's music from Snoop Dogg's latest album Bush.

Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites (BBC2, 8pm)

THE veteran cook focuses on recipes inspired by her love of the countryside.

Mary, who celebrated her 80th birthday in March, likes mushrooms and she goes foraging for wild varieties in the New Forest, before cooking garlic mushrooms on toasted brioche and mushroom Scotch eggs – ideal for a country picnic hamper.

"The other day, we saw some mushrooms and my son said, 'Mum, have you got your bag in your pocket'? I've always got one in my pocket, just in case. You never know what you're going to find." To follow, Mary makes paprika pheasant with mushroom sauce. The Great British Bake Off judge also tries her hand at fly-fishing on the River Test, cooking up her catch on the riverbank. Later, she prepares apple cakes made from windfall fruit.

Man and Beast with Martin Clunes (ITV, 9pm)

THE actor concludes his international exploration into the relationship between man and beast. In the second of two programmes, he meets doting dog owners in Tokyo, learns the truth behind the outlawed practice of snake-charming in Nepal and find out how small birds in Thailand are used for gambling. Back in Britain, he partakes in a traditional "swan-upping" event on the River Thames to monitor the population of the birds, and discovers how horses are used to help autistic children.

Britain's Greatest Generation (BBC2, 9.30pm)

THE landmark series celebrating the last survivors of the Second World War and their achievements reaches it's penultimate edition. Tonight, we hear the heartwarming, but also harrowing, story of Fergus "Gunner" Anckorn, who was at one time the youngest member of the Magic Circle and – at 96 – is now the oldest. He was taken prisoner by the Japanese in Singapore and put to work for 14 hours of hard labour every day on the Burma Railway, made famous by David Lean's 1957 film The Bridge On The River Kwai. He kept his spirits up – and his comrades amused – by performing endless magic tricks. But not only that, his skills also played a huge part in their survival, because he used his magic to entertain his captors, who rewarded him with food that kept him and his fellow prisoners alive.

Viv Hardwick