A murder investigation is underway after police announced they have found the bodies of three people, three weeks after former EastEnders actress Sian Blake, 43, and her two children were reported missing.
Police made the discovery while searching the family's home in Erith, southeast London.
Detective Superintendent Paul Monk, from the Met's homicide and major crime command, said: "Sadly, as part of a thorough forensic search we are carrying out at the family's home in Erith, we recovered three bodies from the garden of the property.
"As yet, we have not formally identified the bodies but this is of course a significant development and Sian's family have been informed.
"This continues to be a fast-moving investigation and our thoughts are with Sian's family at this time."
Police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of Blake's partner, Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, the father of the boys. He hasn't been seen since 16 December, when police visited him at home.
Blake and the children were reported missing after police visited Simpson-Kent.
Blake's silver Renault Scenic car was found in Bethnal Green, east London, on Sunday 3 January.
Blake and her sons, Zachary, 8, and Amon, 4, were last seen on 13 December when they visited family together in the Leyton area of east London.
Earlier, while appealing for information on Blake's whereabouts, police said Blake suffered from a "life-threatening condition" – neighbours told reporters she had motor neurone disease – and officers were concerned over her access to her regular medication.
Sian Blake, also known as Syan, played Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders between 1996 and 1997 and also appeared in The Bill, Doctors, and Casualty.
