Reproduced from The People 24 August, 1997

The London's Burning star agreed to provide four grammes of cocaine to a man claiming to be a member of the Dubai royal family.

He agreed to meet the bogus sheikh at the Savoy Hotel for dinner to clinch a lucrative deal to open a nightclub in the Emirates on August 29. "I know that London's Burning is popular over there so I jumped at the chance," said John.

"They offered me a huge fee between £50,000 and £100,000. It seemed like an offer too good to be true and it was.

"We met for dinner at 6 p.m. with two security men. Things were going really well when they asked me if I could get some stuff.

"I refused because I don't get involved in that sort of thing. I don't do drugs let alone deal in them "But they really put pressure on me and I was trying to keep everything sweet and eventually I said I might know someone.

"I got in touch with a friend of mine and the bogus Arabs lent us their Rolls-Royce to pick up the stuff. While I was in the car an assistant came out and offered me £280. I didn't want to take the money. I told them it would be a gift from me but they said that would be an insult.

"I am worried that I have set a bad example to young people.

"I fully admit what I have done but I was a victim of an elaborate hoax and I admit I have been completely stupid."

John Alford rose to fame in BBC1's Grange Hill but by the time he was 13 the Glasgow-born actor was blowing his £300-a-week wages on beer and whisky chasers.

After wasting an £80,000 fortune on booze and gambling, Alford was struck down with a serious alcohol-related stomach illness.

He has been rushed to hospital four times suffering from Gilbert's Disease, which causes a swollen stomach and liver damage.

Last year Alford embarked on a singing career and had two Top 20 chart hits with Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and Blue Moon.

He also played a drug-addicted hooligan in the film Skinhead.