Although Anne Igartiburu has the reputation of being the one who has presented the chimes on television the most times (17), in reality it is the journalist Roberto Herrera (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1970) who holds that honor. This year will be the 22nd time that he says goodbye to the year from the Canary Islands, one hour after doing so on the peninsula. Herrera has presented and directed the magazine Cerca de ti on the RTVE Canarias circuit for 12 years. He has also collaborated on programs such as España Direct. Ruth Lorenzo, José Toledo and Nieves Álvarez have been some of his partners on such a traditional date. This year he repeats with Nía for the second time.
Since when have you been in charge of the chimes?
Since 2001 I have been responsible for presenting them 22 times. Only on two occasions did I not do them because RTVE trusted other professionals and on a third occasion I got sick and was left without a voice. I saw them from a hotel in bed and burning with fever. It was a very strange feeling.
When you hear about Igartiburu's record, do you feel forgotten?
No, that's it. I am very proud of Igartiburu because he is someone from inside the house who also greeted us during his broadcast and gave us a spectacular audience peak.
Are the bells going well for tourism on the islands?
That RTVE broadcasts our chimes throughout Spain is a great promotion for the Canary Islands. Almost all city councils want us to broadcast them from their city because it is a great boost for tourism.
What do you remember about the first time the bells were proposed to you?
I was clear that I wanted to do them because it was a very special night for me. Furthermore, he had already done them on local television. And at RTVE they proposed it to me the first year I worked there.
Don't you miss celebrating a few bells in privacy?
Sometimes yes. But since we make them from a different place every year, I always have someone to share with. For example, when they are celebrated in the province of Las Palmas my family and friends accompany me and when I do them in the province of Santa Cruz, my partner always goes. And I always celebrate with the TV team. Before the bells we have dinner. I have already gotten used to it.
Are all the chimes the same or different?
Here they are always different because every year we change the location: we have done them from the beach, the countryside or near a volcano. Furthermore, some chimes have a carillon, some have quarters, others do not...
Would you be excited to ring the bells from Madrid one year?
Yes of course I would love to. But I understand that, although I sometimes appear on La 1 nationally, I am only popular in the Canary Islands because I have a daily program here.
What have been the most special chimes?
Those from the year of the volcanic eruption on La Palma. We did them for the first time from a hotel to be with affected families who were resettled there. We set everything up so that they were the protagonists.
How do you live the hours before?
I feel a great responsibility for everything to go well. In the previous days we rehearsed but we always depended on the live show. From Madrid they give us a few specific minutes for the broadcast but if the national chimes then last more or less than expected, that means that we have to readjust because the program that goes in the middle is recorded.
Do you suffer live?
It has happened to us many times that people start toasting behind us and soak us with champagne, but those are anecdotes that happen. We suffered a lot one year when they put an orchestra right in front of us and started playing right at the chimes. We didn't hear anything through the earpiece and no one thought to ask the orchestra to stop.
