"I am very calm and composed on television, but there are red lines"

Carlos Sobera (Baracaldo, Vizcaya, 64 years old) says he enjoys conflict on television but never tolerates disrespect. The veteran presenter is the face of Tuesday nights (10:00 PM) on 'Tierra de nadie', the 'Survivors' reality show gala broadcast by Telecinco, which is nearing its final stretch with Terelu Campos returning to the island.

–Do you really miss Ángel Cristo Jr.?

–I mean it. When you watch a film or a play, what hooks you is the conflict, and even more so in a TV show. If there's conflict, having a character like that is pure gold.

–But in 'Survivors', there are always surprises. Contestants don't know what they're getting into.

–No one knows exactly how they will react to adverse circumstances. Even the most moderate or balanced people get unsettled in a show like 'Survivors' and end up doing or saying things they don't mean and may later regret.

–Do you set a limit to conflict?

–The limit is that you can never disrespect others. We never allow that red line to be crossed.

–With Ángel Cristo, you experienced extreme situations.

–I had to deal with him several times. Not just the day the Honduran Navy intervened because he breached the security perimeter on the island, but also because he said offensive things that disrespected his colleagues. That's not conflict or debate; that's someone losing their temper. But fortunately, such behaviour doesn't last long. It gets corrected. If it crosses the line of respect, of decency... that's not acceptable.

–Have you ever been overwhelmed by a contestant?

–Yes. With Ángel Cristo Jr. I'm very calm and composed on TV, like John Wayne in 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'. But there are limits.

–Have you ever been so overwhelmed that you lost control?

–Only once in my life did I get angry. It was on another channel and another show, 'The Million Pound Drop'. We were doing a special in support of women's associations and women's rights against sexism. A very distrustful contestant never listened to my advice. Presenters, of course, play along; it's a game show. In a charity show, we're not going to make you win the maximum – we can't do that – but we do try to guide you to solve at least a minimum number of questions so the charity gets something. But that contestant didn't trust me and ignored my advice. I asked a question, and she got it wrong. I got very angry. I told her it wasn't possible to come on a TV show knowing the channel, the show, and the presenter are on your side, and then do what she did.

–How do you handle accusations of rigging in reality shows?

–I understand it, and it amazes me. These complaints usually come from people who are infatuated with a contestant and want them to win at all costs. But it amazes me because the control over the voting system is so incredible that there's no way.

–'First Dates' stands firm against heavyweights like David Broncano and Pablo Motos.

–And also football, which is devastating. What has hurt us the most is 'The Island of Temptations'. When it started, we were convinced we would hold our ground, but Antena 3 changed the advertising schedule, and both shows extended beyond their usual time. Suddenly, we saw that yes, we were holding up. We've lost a point, and there are days when we calmly recover 8%. We're surprised because we have a very loyal audience.

–Soon you'll be hosting 'Todos por ti', another game show on Telecinco. What do we know about the premiere?

–I have no idea. I'm the first one who wants it to air because we recorded it in September. The show is very good. But I think a game show no longer fits in prime time. It can't start at 11:15 PM, last two hours, and ask people to make the effort to see if they win the money, waiting until 1:15 in the morning.