Two thousand evenings of love have transformed the format into an essential daily event and an example of diversity and tolerance. Presenter Carlos Sobera (Baracaldo, Vizcaya, 64 years old) celebrates a very special anniversary of ‘First Dates’ tomorrow on Cuatro (9.45pm), with a program that will once again welcome four couples who met in the iconic restaurant. “It’s increasingly difficult to find new and different people, but the team succeeds,” confesses the communicator, who makes the popular ‘dating show’ compatible with other Mediaset programs and in the theatre.
-Almost nine years of broadcasting and 2,000 programs. It’s a miracle on television.
-It makes you a little dizzy, yes. No one knows when a program will work and when it won’t. It’s a miracle we need to celebrate. For me the key is that this show is all about casting. They are people who open their hearts, more or less spontaneously, but who dedicate themselves body and soul to the format, really thinking that they will find a partner or solve their problem of loneliness. It’s increasingly difficult to find new and different people, but the team manages.
-What do you think is the most complicated thing?
-For me, getting up early every day (laughs). This is the only daily show I know of that is taped every day. You must have a great love and passion to record Monday to Friday. He doesn’t rest. It is a peculiarity and a productive effort to take care of and pamper each couple and make them give the best of themselves.
-What do you learn from this program after 2,000 births?
-I realized what I had learned when I went to do the program with Jesús Calleja. Suddenly, the bastard took a questionnaire from me and started asking me about all kinds of gender and sexual tendencies. I saw myself answering with a naturalness and wisdom that said, “Man, they’ve been asking me that for seven years and they caught me in my underwear.” Yes, I learned many things. I have always been tolerant, but now I have tolerance as my flag. Understand everyone regardless of their ideology, life ideals or sexual orientation.
-Since this season he has lived on the same street with Broncano. How did you experience your arrival at TVE?
-The truth is that ‘First Dates’ noticed almost nothing. At first yes, but due to many circumstances and programming changes. 1 anticipated the end of ’Telediario’ and Antena 3 ate up its ‘prime time’, and this is what worries me. Late night has long disappeared and prime time is about to disappear too. We don’t fully understand that the pattern of public behavior after Covid has changed, because now people stay late and go to bed at midnight at the latest. So asking them to make the effort to watch a program that lasts three hours to see the outcome at two in the morning is complicated. The Broncano tsunami hit us, but the water is already returning to its bed. We can’t complain.
-He also hosts another of his great programs on Mediaset, ‘Survivientes’. Do you already want the new edition?
-I always say that probably the biggest problem a presenter has is excessive success in a program, because he ends up doing that his whole life. The fact that you can combine ‘First Dates’ with other formats such as ‘Survivors’ allows you to make your work more fun. Grow more, work with different teams and step out of your comfort zone. The other thing, consolidated success, is wonderful too, but it’s also true that there comes a time when you get rusty. Over-settling causes you to lose some hope. That didn’t happen to me on ‘First Dates’, because very different people pass through here every day and the changes are brutal.
-With so many hours spent on TV and then at the theatre, where do you find the time?
-Well, my day is very beautiful. I get up and have breakfast, stay with ’First Dates’ until 3pm, have lunch, rest a bit and go to the Reina Victoria Theater for the show (starring in the comedy ’Immatures’). Around 10pm he arrives home and I have dinner. I walk in and say, “Hi, do you know me?” Some say yes and others don’t know who I am (laughs). But I’m not complaining, because I really enjoy my profession and I have time to know how my daughter is doing in school or whether my wife is thinking of divorcing or not. I have time for everything.
Interview between Time.news Editor and Carlos Sobera, Host of ‘First Dates’
Time.news Editor: Good afternoon, Carlos, and congratulations on reaching such a remarkable milestone of 2,000 episodes of ‘First Dates’! How does it feel to celebrate such a special anniversary?
Carlos Sobera: Thank you! It’s both exhilarating and a bit dizzying to reflect on. In television, you never truly know which programs will resonate with audiences or how long they will last. To reach 2,000 episodes feels like a miracle, and it’s a testament to the incredible team behind the show.
Time.news Editor: What do you think has been the key to the program’s sustained success over nearly nine years?
Carlos Sobera: The heart of ‘First Dates’ is undoubtedly in the casting. We bring individuals who are genuinely open to connecting with others, often sharing their personal stories and quests for companionship. Each couple embodies a mix of hope, vulnerability, and spontaneity that we aim to capture. Our team works tirelessly to ensure we always have a fresh and diverse mix of participants, which keeps the show engaging.
Time.news Editor: Speaking of challenges, what do you find to be the most complicated aspect of hosting a daily show?
Carlos Sobera: (laughs) It’s definitely getting up early every day! You know, we are unique in that we tape episodes every single day from Monday to Friday, which is no small feat. It requires immense dedication and passion to consistently engage and nurture each couple to bring out the best of themselves.
Time.news Editor: After 2,000 episodes, what valuable lessons have you personally taken from the experience?
Carlos Sobera: I’ve learned the importance of tolerance and understanding. Recently, while working with Jesús Calleja, I realized how naturally I answered questions about diverse gender identities and sexual orientations. It’s a learning curve that has transformed me from being tolerant to making tolerance my guiding principle. In today’s world, we must strive to understand everyone, irrespective of their background, beliefs, or identities.
Time.news Editor: This season, you’ve mentioned living on the same street as comedian David Broncano. Have any programming changes impacted ‘First Dates’?
Carlos Sobera: Initially, we noticed some changes, but the impact has lessened over time. The landscape of viewership has definitely shifted post-COVID; people now tend to stay up later, which alters how we approach prime time. The traditional late-night format is slowly fading. Adapting to these new viewing habits has been crucial as we try to keep our audience engaged in an evolving media environment.
Time.news Editor: With the continual evolution of television, do you foresee any significant changes for ‘First Dates’ in the near future?
Carlos Sobera: Absolutely. We must remain agile and ready to innovate. The format has received major updates over the years, and as societal norms change, our content must reflect those shifts. We’re always looking for new angles, interactions, and themes that resonate with our viewers, ensuring the show stays relevant and continues to promote love and connection in all its forms.
Time.news Editor: Thank you, Carlos! It’s been a pleasure discussing ‘First Dates’ with you. Here’s to many more successful episodes to come!
Carlos Sobera: Thank you, and I appreciate the support! Together, we continue the journey of love and connection, one date at a time.