THE GAZETTE: Funny-Tasting Water, Ingrid Pitt’s Incredible Escape & Eclipse Disappointment

Something strange is happening to the water, Ingrid Pitt may have had an even more extraordinary life than we realised, and Lee has travelled all the way to Tooting Common to stare at... some clouds. It can only be another Problematic Gazette.

We begin with the important question of the week: why does the tap water suddenly taste sweet? With drought conditions, a hosepipe ban, Victorian cast-iron pipes and two very visible bursts on the road, we investigate what might be going on underground. We also discover that people secretly watering their gardens at night aren't just being naughty—they can apparently make it harder for water companies to detect leaks. Who knew hydrology could be so scandalous?

Then we return to The Vampire Lovers and the extraordinary life of its star, Ingrid Pitt. Lee has been digging through contemporary interviews and uncovers Pitt's remarkable accounts of escaping with her mother from Nazi persecution as a child and, years later, fleeing East Germany by swimming across the River Spree—an adventure that eventually led to meeting the American serviceman whose surname she would keep throughout her career.

Back in considerably less dramatic circumstances, we report on our eclipse expedition to Tooting Common. Expectations were high. Nature had other ideas. We also cast an eye over this year's Strictly lineup and discover that our excitement levels may need professional resuscitation.

There's a more serious moment as we mark World Humanitarian Day, looking back at the 2003 bombing of the Canal Hotel in Baghdad that led to its creation and remembering the aid workers who continue to lose their lives while helping others around the world.

Plus: we tease our next main episode, when we're heading into considerably darker territory with Prime Suspect.

The Gazette is taking next week off while Dave goes on holiday, so enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts.

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