As you mooch around our quaint commuter city, have you ever said hello to someone you recognise, only to retrospectively realise you didn’t know them at all, and they were actually a TV star or Premier League footballer enjoying some much-needed downtime? Embarrassed much?
There are plenty of famous people who either live in the district or regularly visit, and so in a bid to avoid that aforementioned awkwardness, we’ve compiled a list of those we’ve seen out and about in town.
1. That woman from Holby City with the red hair...actress Rosie Marcel who plays feisty doctor Jac. Often seen walking her two Bassett hounds through the market and Verulamium Park. She buys her jeans in The Dressing Room.
2. Actor Martin Freeman’s family home is nearby in Potters Bar and he is believed to enjoy a trip to our city. After all, what is there except a few private schools, a vet college and some pizza shops? 3. Rita Simons can regularly be seen out and about during December and January during panto season. An Arena regular, she has thought to have been spotted in The Boot.
4. Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton is fond of our cathedral city where she lives with her children. She has been known to frequent Argos for her kids’ presents.
5. Les Ferdinand - and other members of the famous footballing family - come to St Albans to pick up their take-aways. Les likes the Camp Fish Bar that is due to reopen soon after the fire. Oh and Harry Styles filmed an advert there in a dressing gown with a chicken. Whether he has visited since is not known but he is likely to have at least had a change of clothes since then. Probably.
6. Singer Kym Lomas (previously Marsh) loves St Albans and got married in the cathedral.
7. EastEnders actress Shona McGarty - Whitney Dean - frequents St Albans to shop and eat out, living just up the road in Borehamwood.
8. CBeebies star Andy Day, who performs with Andy and the Odd Socks, lives with his wife and baby in St Albans and can often be seen in the shops. He has been spotted shopping in Boots and in Marks & Spencer and was recently looking for his child’s lost favourite toy rabbit.
10. EastEnders actress Kellie Bright, who sprang to fame in sitcom The Upper Hand, has been spotted by our editor pushing her baby son around town in his pram.
11. Ex-footballer Alan Smith, formerly of Arsenal, can regularly be seen in our fair city. He loves golf and is a member of a St Albans golf course, and once signed a Herts Ad petition against the rail freight development.
12. TV chef and Hairy Biker Si King is a St Albans High Street regular and likes a coffee around the Clock Tower area.
13. Born and raised just up the road in Luton, Strictly star and documentary journalist Stacey Dooley attended Stopsley High School. She had two retail jobs in St Albans, first in Jigsaw before she was snapped up by The Dressing Room where she is still in touch with several of the stylists who became close friends.
14. Reality Luisa Zissman used to run Dixie’s Cupcakery in Market Place before finding fame on The Apprentice and Celebrity Big Brother.
15. Current This Morning host Rochelle Humes was a fan of Whittard when it was still there. She and hubby Marvin were seen pulling up in their sports car in Market Place to visit the store.
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