John Alford, the actor best known for his role in the long-running ITV drama London’s Burning, has been found dead in prison, weeks after being sentenced to custody for sexually abusing two young girls.
A Prison Service spokesman confirmed the death to The Sun on Sunday, stating: “John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026.” Alford, whose real name was John Shannon, was 54 years old.
According to a source cited by The Sun on Sunday, staff discovered Alford unresponsive on his bed when they opened his cell door on Friday morning.
Alford had been reported to police in April 2022 for abusing two girls, aged 14 and 15, in Hertfordshire, before being subsequently convicted and imprisoned. He had been in custody for only a matter of weeks at the time of his death.
The actor had built a television career across two of the BBC’s most recognised productions. He appeared in the school drama Grange Hill during the 1980s before going on to play firefighter Billy Ray in London’s Burning, a role that brought him considerable public recognition.
In line with standard procedure, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been informed and will conduct an investigation into the circumstances of the death, as is required following all deaths in custody.
