John Alford in London's Burning / ITV
London’s Burning star John Alford has been discovered dead in his prison cell in Norwich.
The 54-year-old, who also appeared in Grange Hill, was two months into an eight-and-a-half year sentence at HMP Bure after being found guilty of sexually abusing two underage girls.
Alford, who denied the allegations, was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old girl in a garden and a toilet then assaulted her 15-year-old friend as she was falling asleep on a sofa.
A source with knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Alford’s death told The Sun: “He didn’t wake up in the morning. He was in his bed and they thought he was just asleep.
“But when they tried to wake him there was no response and they realised he was dead.”
Using the actor’s real name, a spokesperson for the Prison Service said: “John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026.
“As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
