28 Jan 2026
We ask a different figure from the local community to choose 10 questions to answer from a list of 50. This week: interior design guru and former presenter of CBBC’s The Dengineers, Emma Kosh, who was also one of the first regular contributors to the St Albans Times…
Who was your first best friend?
Throughout my life I have lots of friends around me rather than one best friend. There has been one exception to this, Matt. I consider my friendship with Matt one of the most pivotal relationships in my life. When I started high school I did hang around with girl groups but quickly realised no one really said what they were thinking and it was all a bit cliquey. I made the decision to step away from this toxicity for a few years and that’s when I started hanging around with Matt.
Our friendship was rooted in laughter and we both had the freedom to be our authentic selves. I cannot express how much I loved spending time with him, we were pure mischief and we didn’t care how people judged our relationship. In the summer holidays we spent every waking minute together and we never got sick of each other. We shared such a unique sense of humour, our days were filled with belly-aching giggles.
Our friendship came to a conclusion when someone decided to point out that Matt might have a crush on me, whether this was true or not I never confirmed.
It turned something so pure and innocent into something that felt weird at a teenage time where everything was changing anyway. I do have sadness in the way that all played out and I made a vow to never do that to my girls. Matt gave me the escape I needed to be myself rather than follow the teenage herd, there is such magic in that.
In lockdown I reached out to Matt on instagram and told him how pivotal our relationship was and that it was our friendship that was behind my decision to send our eldest to a mixed school. I wanted my daughters to have the opportunity of male friendship and I am so thrilled to say that Roxie’s group is a hilarious combination of amazing young women and men. Seeing them together takes me back to those wonderful days. I have Matt to thank for that.
When I met my husband Alex it was his sense of humour that struck me first, he has such an electric personality. I said to my friend Victoria that I had met my match. He is my best friend now, we have always been our authentic selves since we met and still have that childish sense of mischief.
What is your most-missed St Albans shop, pub, café or restaurant?
When I first moved to St Albans there were so many independent retailers and a charm that has been taken away from our once quirky city in favour of financial gains. There was the most magical toy shop in the Maltings with the most enchanting window displays. It was like something from a movie, how a toy shop should have been. I think it is Lush now, which says it all.
What’s your favourite place to have breakfast in St Albans?
I am going to give some celebration to Marshalswick here, arguably the 1950s suburbs of St Albans. When we want to go for the biggest and best breakfast it has to be Molens. It never disappoints and the staff there have seen our girls grow and always given us the warmest welcome. When I go in alone they ask how they are by name, it’s very special. The food is so generous, always delicious and our go-to place for a family breakfast, we love it.
Were you well behaved at school?
I was always authentic and full of mischief, whether that made me well behaved was dependent on the teacher I think.
My Mum tells a story of my first parents’ evening at high school, she met with my English teacher. He said: “There is something about Emma, she has a certain persona and I don’t like her.”
Can you imagine a teacher saying that now? My Mum was shocked and thought it had set the tone for the rest of the evening.
She then moved onto my history teacher – who went on to be my favourite teacher Mr Ferguson. His evaluation was: “I absolutely love Emma, she has such a fantastic personality.”
I was so well respected by that man, he allowed me to question his authority and admitted when he was in the wrong. There was such a mutual respect which was rare from teachers especially in the ‘90s.
The male ego of my English teacher had clearly never before encountered a girl raised on girl power and speaking her mind. What my English teacher hated, my history teacher loved – that’s me I guess, take it or leave it.
My neighbour said that although we had a uniform the way I would style it, or cut my hair she could see filter down through all the years below, I had zero awareness of this quiet trend setting.
I was a high achiever, I struck the balance between having fun and applying myself. I absolutely loved high school. I questioned authority and sometimes that backfired, but I continued to do it anyway. When I was in Sixth Form I was advised to apply for the role of ‘Senior Student’ – our school’s equivalent of head boys and girls. I think I said: “Isn’t that just for nerds?”
But the teachers encouraged me to apply as they said I seemed to have friends in every group so might be a great candidate and I got the position. When I look at the other students that got the job I was definitely the wild card, but set a precedent for future wild cards to get the job also. I wonder if they ever regretted that decision?
If you could have a conversation with someone who had died who would it be?
I’d like to have a chat with my Aunty Jen who died at 42 of breast cancer when I was around eight years old.
At the time I felt like she had ‘had a good innings’ 42 feels very old when you are eight.
I did not appreciate the weight of that loss on my Mum, Nan or cousins at the time. To lose a sibling, daughter and mother is the absolute worst and I had no concept of that. I would love to speak to her so I could relay messages of comfort to my cousins who lost their Mum – she never met any of her grandchildren.
Also for my Mum and Aunty I would love to be able to pass messages to them, that would be the greatest gift. I would have so many questions about life after death!
What’s your favourite St Albans car park?
Best and worst…
Worst – The Maltings, who the hell designed that building? Spaces so small you can’t get out the car and pillars everywhere! If you haven’t damaged your car in that car park you need a driving award. At least they have removed the alloy scuffing massive kerbs but it is still the absolute pits.
Best – Whatever the one is behind Marks and Spencer, but the Russell Avenue entrance. Large spaces, room for everyone, no need for a ticket (that I always lose) and a fun exit ramp that you can whizz down like a toy car, whhhhheeeeeee.
What super power would you like to have?
Invisibility would be pure mischief, I would definitely like that one.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
At age 11 I watched EastEnders and thought I would love to go to stage school. I lived in a village in the Midlands so there was nothing on my doorstep. My Dad said, if you find one I will pay for it… he underestimated who he was dealing with even at 11 years old. I got the Yellow Pages, found a stage school in the local city, called the principal and enrolled myself.
Then my Dad had to pay for that (and drive me there and back) until I was 18 and then I did a degree in Drama at the University of Manchester. Take that Dad! I wanted to be an actor but after doing some TV extra work I realised how boring it is sitting around all day so I went into more productive areas behind the scenes.
My love of drama led me to my career in children’s TV both on and off screen.
I actually did my work experience at the same place as the EastEnders set so that was a full circle moment. I have always pursued passions over purpose and done the next thing that seemed interesting. I have never been unhappy in my work and I think this is why. Interior design was also a passion I had since being a child – I redesigned my bedroom when I was 15 and instructed my Dad exactly how I wanted it decorated. If you just decide what you’d love to do next you’ll have a happy life – that’s what I tell my children.
If you had a time machine, what year would you choose to visit and why?
I would go back to my high school days and write everything down so I could write the funniest comedy series about being at school in the 90s/00s. When my daughter started secondary school I had a kind of jealous feeling knowing she was embarking on some of the best years of her life. It was so nostalgic for me and I was so excited for her to have that time. I could also tell my school friends of some of the cringiest things they did in graphic detail which would be hilarious. My school friends are still my best friends – we have a 13-strong WhatsApp group of guys and girls who know each other so well and have shared so many happy times.
