John Alford

Born in Glasgow, Alford attended Anna Scher's stage school from age 11 in London, alongside future EastEnders actors Sid Owen and Patsy Palmer.

He appeared as a child actor in ITV sitcom Now and Then before landing the role of Robbie Wright in 1985 in Grange Hill. Alford featured on the Grange Hill "Just Say No" anti-drug single. In 1980, he appeared in Not the Nine O'Clock News, joining in a song about a strike-breaking train driver.

In 1993, prior to his solo singing career, he took his highest profile adult role as fireman Billy Ray in ITV's London's Burning, remaining in the role for five years. In 1996 this led to a short-lived singing career during which he released a self-titled album, but it did not chart. His first single release was "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", which reached number 13 and stayed in the UK chart for five weeks. His highest hit was "Blue Moon"/"Only You", which reached number 9 in the UK charts and stayed in the UK chart for four weeks. A further single "If"/"Keep on Running", reached number 24 and stayed in the UK chart for three weeks. Alford's fourth and final single "Let It Be Me" was scheduled for release in March 1997, but was withdrawn at the last minute. Finished copies, some with 'promotional use only' stickers, exist. Alford was then dropped by his record label.

In 2001 he gained a role in the film Mike Bassett: England Manager. In 2003 he played the part of drug-dealing and scheming flight attendant Dean in Mile High.

In 2005 Alford appeared in the reality TV show Trust Me – I'm a Beauty Therapist, in which celebrities trained and worked in a salon doing hair and beauty. He has since appeared twice in Casualty, in May 2009 and May 2010, and was a prison guard in The Hatton Garden Job (2017).