Born in
Glasgow, Alford attended
Anna Scher's stage school from age 11 in London, alongside future
EastEnders actors
Sid Owen and
Patsy Palmer. Alford appeared as a child actor in the
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 1982, he appeared on ''
Not the Nine O'Clock News'', joining in a song about a strike-breaking train driver. In 1993, Alford took his highest profile adult role as
fireman Billy Ray in
ITV's ''
London's Burning'', remaining in the role until he was sacked in 1998. He was convicted in 1999 of supplying drugs. 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 on the UK chart for five weeks. His highest hit was "Blue Moon"/"Only You", which reached number 9 on the UK charts and stayed on the UK chart for four weeks. A further single, "If"/"Keep on Running", reached number 24 and stayed on 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 Alford's fourth and final single, "Let It Be Me", was scheduled for release in March 1997, but was withdrawn at the last minute.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, Alford 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 the TV drama
Mile High. In 2005, Alford appeared on 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 appeared twice on Casualty, in May 2009 and May 2010, and was a prison guard on the 2017 crime film The Hatton Garden Job''. With only intermittent acting work from 2000 onwards, he picked up work as a roofer, scaffolder and mini-cab driver. He returned to living in
Camden using his real name, John Shannon. ==Criminal convictions==