"The Matter of Love is Tough; Nowadays No One Wants Commitment"

He is the most famous 'maître' on the small screen. Presenter Carlos Sobera (Baracaldo, Vizcaya, 65 years old) hosts 'First Dates' on Cuatro every night, helping others find love or companionship in times when more and more people feel lonely.

Despite the competition, yes. Our biggest rival remains Telecinco, as it offers 'La isla de las tentaciones', 'Gran hermano', and 'Supervivientes'. These three shows impact us more than 'El hormiguero' and 'La revuelta'. Yet, despite the arrival of new competitors, 'First Dates' remains consistent with its performance over the years. We should be very pleased, truly. The show has carved out a niche, and many people choose our format.

For me, the great secret is the excellent selection of contestants or participants, I would say. It's pure excellence, an extraordinary job done by this team. They choose people of such magnitude, freshness, and authenticity that even after ten years, people still ask me on the street if they are actors. I am amazed. Have you really seen an actor, and there are good ones, capable of playing these roles? There is a sociological portrait of the country of enormous magnitude. And that freshness remains even after ten years because the people who come are still fresh thanks to the work done here by the 'First Dates' team.

I enjoyed all the experiences (laughs). When the decision was made to move the show to Telecinco, it was at a very specific moment to also help with audience figures. It might not have worked, but it did. This shows that the audience, loyal to the format, will continue to follow it. But of course, it was like undressing a saint, because you leave a gap in Cuatro that you don't know how to fill. And then on Telecinco, the format would need to be reformatted, as the duration of the 'access' is different, or the advertising load is also different. It was a beautiful two-month period that held up very well, even reaching double digits on several days, but I think the decision to return to Cuatro was the right one.

It wasn't a selection process; it was more of a confirmation process. They wanted me to do it, but there was always doubt because I was associated with game shows. I've hosted everything, but there's always someone who might have a small doubt, which I understand. The fact is, they asked me to do a small test, and from the first day, I felt like a fish in water. In the sense that it was effortless for me, whether it was taking a guest's jacket and hanging it up or asking intimate questions. And from that, they were convinced that I was suitable to be the 'maître', and now I've been hanging everyone's clothes for ten years.

No, Vasile said: "Let's see, Carlos". He always had extraordinary confidence in me, thoroughly enjoyed that first 'First Dates' show. He had quite a significant clarity with the programs, usually got it right, and bet on this one, and he wasn't wrong. He and his entire team.

If I listen to the testimonies that come, the matter is tough, friends (laughs). No, it's true, it's complicated, but the complaints go both ways. Women complain that men don't want commitment; men complain that women don't want commitment. In other words, no one wants commitment. Everyone wants a 'here today, gone tomorrow' scenario. I would have loved this in my youth. I would have had a great time (laughs). I haven't had the opportunity, but apparently, everyone is like this now. And then older people also give the example that this has changed a lot because now they look for a partner to play bowling, go to the beach, or spend a weekend. They don't want to live together. They clarify this from the start: "Living together, no. Each in their own home." We have become quite egocentric, very selfish. The more alone we are, the more accustomed we are to ourselves, and it's hard for us to open up to new people, share, and give in. We no longer understand that language. And this is the order of the day.

Yes, especially older people. I would say from the age of 50, not just those who are 80. And from 50, when someone remains single for a long time unwillingly and is forced to live alone, they suffer. I imagine in their private lives they turn to Tinder or various solutions, and this solution also seems good to them to try to find someone. This is another thing the show has achieved: it has transcended what is purely televisual and has become a place of trust for people. In other words, many people genuinely come to see if we can find them that partner they can't find themselves.