He portrayed Colin Lomax, Ena Sharples' grandson, for one episode on 6 March 1961.[3][4] He also appeared in the BBC police series Z-Cars. After the death of his mother from emphysema when he was 14 years old, Jones rejected acting in favour of a career as a jockey, apprenticing with Newmarket trainer Basil Foster.[4] He dropped out of secondary school to begin his career in that field.[5] This career was short-lived, however. Even though Foster believed Jones would be successful as a jockey, he encouraged his young protégé to take a role as the Artful Dodger in a production of Oliver! in London's West End, a move which changed Jones' life forever.