Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
Former Grange Hill star John Alford has been charged with alleged sex offences involving a child.
The actor, 52, who is known for his roles as Robbie Wright in the BBC series and Billy Ray in the ITV firefighter drama London’s Burning, has been accused of six offences in total and was arrested earlier this year, according to The Sun.
Alford – real name John Shannon – faces four allegations of sexual activity with a child, one of sexual assault and one of sexual assault by penetration.
The Glasgow-born actor will be put on trial at St Albans Crown Court on December 2. Alford will also attend a pre-trial review, which has been scheduled for November.
The Grange Hill actor first appeared on the school drama series in 1985, when he was just 13 years old, after training at Anna Scher’s stage school alongside EastEnders stars Patsy Palmer and Sid Owen.
Upon leaving Grange Hill, Alford joined one of ITV’s longest running dramas London’s Burning and played Billy Ray on the show for five years until 1998.
In 1996, Alford enjoyed a short pop career and had three singles in the UK Top 30, including “Smoke In Your Eyes” and “Blue Moon/Only You, which broke the top ten.
Alford previously revealed he had struggled with fame and developed alcoholism, telling the BBC in 1999 he would drink “up to 18 bottles of beer and nine shots of spirits a night”.
"When I got ill I went to see somebody. They looked at my liver and told me to stop, which my mum had been telling me for years," he said.
In later years, the actor took jobs working as a scaffolder and taxi driver but kept working as an actor in minor roles throughout the 2000s.
In 2001 he featured in the comedy short film Mike Bassett: England Manager and appeared on the BBC hospital drama Casualty in 2008 and 2009.
Most recently, Alford played a prison guard in the 2017 crime thriller The Hatton Garden Job alongside Larry Lamb and Joely Richardson.
