John Alford, the British actor best known for playing Robbie Wright in the BBC series Grange Hill, died on March 13, 2026, aged 54.
Born John James Shannon in Glasgow, he also appeared as Billy Ray in ITV’s London’s Burning from 1993 to 1998 and had three Top 30 hits on the UK singles chart in 1996. His screen work began in childhood, including an appearance in the ITV sitcom Now and Then and a 1982 turn on Not the Nine O’Clock News.
He attended Anna Scher’s stage school in London from the age of 11.
John James Shannon (30 October 1971 – 13 March 2026), better known by his stage name John Alford, was a British actor, singer, convicted child sex offender and drug dealer. He played Robbie Wright in the BBC series Grange Hill (1985–1990) and Billy Ray in the ITV series London’s Burning (1993–1998). He also had three Top 30 hits on the UK singles chart in 1996.