What was the worst interruption (technical, blackout, strike, etc.) you've ever been through? Mine was in Christmas 2002 (I think) when the East Coast Cartoon Network stations (yes, I'm a filthy Yank!) had a frozen screen for A WHOLE WEEK-END!
This wasn't me personally but my mum in Plymouth - when England played Portugal in the quarter finals of euro 2004, they had just got to the end of extra time and were about to start the penalty shoot out when there was a power cut. They missed the whole shoot-out, and the power came back on after about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, most of the people in the street had got in their cars and driven to the pub!
Surely in the UK it was in 1979 when ITV engineers went on strike (like just about every other profession in the Winter of Discontent). There was just a caption on-screen for about 6 months! Some might say this was better than some of the programmes....