Latest news with #Radfords
The Sun
21-07-2025
- General
- The Sun
Psychologist who worked with the Radfords reveals early trauma led to brood of 22… & how it became their secret weapon
WITH 22 kids the biggest question many people want to ask the Radfords is, 'why?' The huge brood is an eye-watering thought for most, but Sue and Noel, who were childhood sweethearts, were determined to have as big a family as possible. 10 10 10 And, in a rare twist, both were adopted as babies, leading many to wonder if that was the reasoning behind their decision to create Britain's biggest brood. The couple have always denied that their own adoptions had anything to do with their wish to have two football teams of children. But psychologist Jo Hemmings, who worked with the family on their show 22 Kids and Counting, says that there could be deep-rooted reasons linked to their adoption journeys that may have had a subconscious influence. She says people who have been adopted often feel a great sense of comfort when they have a child of their own, to finally have a connection with a blood relative. 'That is quite important,' she explains. 'Because they are both adopted I think that sense of having their own children together would have had much more significance, but not necessarily 22 of them. 'There isn't any science to back it up and say that either one or both parents that come from adoptive families are more likely each to have more birth children of their own. 'What there is some evidence of is that adopted children tend to be brought up in better socio-economic circumstances by their adoptive parents, so they are given a really stable upbringing, perhaps better education. "A lot is put into their upbringing partly because their parents have chosen them rather than given birth to them. 'So there is something in that. If they both grew up in good, stable adoptive families, they feel they have got as much to give back as they had in their own childhoods.' Despite this, Noel, 54, dismissed links between their adoptions and their huge brood in the couple's book, The Radfords: Making Life Count. Mum-of-22 Sue Radford says she'll NEVER meet her birth mum & it's caused 'disagreements' with Noel, who's also adopted He wrote in one chapter: "A lot of amateur psychologists may think the reason me and Sue have had lots of kids must be linked to the fact we were both adopted, but I don't think there is any connection. "Unless someone comes along and sticks some electrodes on our heads, and says after doing some tests, 'Oh, this is why you've got so many kids,' we're just not going to believe any of those theories.' And wife Sue, 50, agreed, saying: 'No, there is nothing in that - because I don't even think about my birth parents. I don't give the fact that I was adopted any thought at all, and never have.' While Sue has always said she has no desire to find her birth parents, Noel met his birth mother earlier this year, with their reunion televised in the latest series of their TV show. Sense of connection 10 10 Noel and Sue are childhood sweethearts, having met when she was just seven and he was 11. Sue fell pregnant with first child Christopher when she was 13 years old. The couple married three years later and then the children kept on coming. Jo says the couple share a deep bond and work together as a team. 'When you speak to them, they say no it is nothing to do with the psychology of us being adopted, it absolutely is because we felt we have a lot to give, we adore children - Sue especially adores babies," she says. "I don't think their intention was to have so many children, but it worked out for them. 'When I have talked to them one thing that comes across is how incredibly gentle and calm they are. You don't see that in many parents who have three, four or five kids, never mind 22 of them. 'There is just that feeling that they had so much to give, they love bringing up children. "They don't claim benefits. They have made money over the years with Noel's successful bakery business and because their TV series have become so successful they have become influencers, in a way. 'I just think they are a remarkable family who have this presence about them. I'm sure there is chaos at times, but when you see them with their children, you don't see it. "They are good, solid, stable, parents, which is amazing. 'They are very straight-talking, they are very resilient. So when there have been problems, you feel that they are a very strong couple together. "Also they are talkers. They sit down and say, 'What are we going to do about this?' They are very open and candid with their children and will talk everything over with them. "They always bounce back and they have this lovely soft energy about them which makes them work brilliantly together as parents.' Driving force Jo believes the Radfords' incredible parenting skills stem from their own upbringings in their loving, adoptive families. She says: 'Sue was very young when she had her first child. I think their driving force is that they badly wanted to be parents. "I know they are at pains to deny that it is anything to do with the adoptions, and I don't want to go against what they say, but knowing that you can give a large number of children a very stable, productive and healthy upbringing would probably have come from the upbringings they had. 'Often adoptive parents put the extra mile in, they over-compensate for the sadness that they didn't grow up with their birth families. "I think a lot of it comes from the happiness and security that they had when they were growing up.' For years, both Noel and Sue had been adamant that they didn't want to trace their birth families, saying they regarded their adoptive parents as their mums and dads and had idyllic upbringings. But Jo says their background of both being adopted will have made them kindred spirits. 'I don't know how rare it is for two adopted people to get married, but it would have been one of the early conversations they had when they first met,' she explains. 'It would have been one of those bonding things, those shared values, that make relationships solid. "I think having that in common would have been a really important thing for them as they both knew implicitly how the other one might have felt growing up. "I think they were very similar in their views. I think they had all agreed at the time that they had both had such wonderful childhoods, there was no need or drive to seek where they were from.' Meet the Radford children Christopher, 36 The oldest Radford child, Chris works as a glazier and is married to Nicole Spencer. They have three children: Maise-Paige, eight, Jacob, five, and Oakland, three. Sophie Rose, 31 Sophie has her own cleaning company, Time for Sparkle, and shares three children with husband Joseph Bradley: Daisy, 12, Ayprill, 10, and Leo, nine. Chloe Anne, 29 Chloe's a make-up artist and is mum to daughter Milla, two, and son Bodhi, three months, with her boyfriend, Jake Wallace. Jack Richard, 28 Publicity-shy Jack prefers to stay out of the limelight, and hasn't publicly shared his relationship status or career. Daniel Leon, 26 After training to be in the RAF, Daniel had a near-fatal car crash in Bristol, which played out on his parents' TV show. He overcame his subsequent fear of driving in order to emigrate to Australia. Luke James, 24 Luke came out to his parents as bisexual in 2021 - warming viewers' hearts after Sue and Noel attended a Pride festival with him that summer. He works for the family's pie business. Millie Jo, 23 Millie is married to Harley Passmore and is mum to three children: Ophelia, four (from a previous relationship), and Chester, three, and Elodie, one (whom she shares with Harley). Katie Louise, 22 Katie works at a nursery and shares one nine-month-old son, Ronnie, with her boyfriend Connor Carter. James Edward, 21 James is busy working in the family's pie shop and hopes to run it someday. Ellie May, 20 Ellie's training to be a hairdresser, and has also worked part-time in a hotel housekeeping job. Aimee Elizabeth, 19 Aimee's also qualified to be a hairstylist and has famously practised her skills on family members in video clips. Josh Benjamin, 18 According to his parents, Josh was a 'nightmare' at school and he didn't commit to his studies - but that all changed when he found his passion as a sports coach. Max Joseph, 16 Max was diagnosed with autism in 2021, and has since struggled with socialising. Working in the pie shop has apparently helped him. Tillie May, 15 One of Tillie's legs stopped growing when she was just 18 months old, due to an infection. In 2019, she was fitted with a frame to help strengthen the limb, but - last year - it was revealed she'd need further treatment and potential surgery. Oscar Will, 13 Oscar has been described as having 'incredible initiative' at school. Casper Theo, 12 Casper always dreamt of being a footballer, but was gutted on his family's show when he didn't make it into a Premier League club's youth team. Alfie Thomas Alfie would have been the Radfords' 17th child, but he was tragically stillborn at three months. The Radfords refer to him as their 'missing heartbeat'. Hallie Alphia Beau, 10 Hallie's middle name was given in tribute to her late brother, who died just a year before her birth. Phoebe Willow, eight Phoebe has been awarded prizes at school for her achievements, much to her parents' pride. Archie Rowan, seven As the 20th Radford baby, Archie was expected to be the last - marking 'a nice, even number' in Sue's words. Bonnie Raye, six Again, Bonnie was expected to 'finish' the brood, but plans changed. Heidie Rose, five The youngest Radford child, mum Sue has since insisted: 'No, that's it now!' Tragic discovery Things changed for Noel in 2023 when the couple's teenage daughter Ellie was found to have the hereditary liver disorder Gilbert's Syndrome. The couple were tested and Noel was found to be a carrier. He said at the time: 'It's got me thinking, we're both adopted and we know absolutely nothing about our medical history at all. 'I'd quite like to find out more about my family, where I'm from, just anything about myself. 'It might tell me a bit more about who I am, where I'm from, possibly my birth parents. Now, as I'm getting older, I do think about it a bit more often.' Fighting back tears he added: 'I don't even know why I don't like talking about it. I just don't like it. "I have a lot of respect for my mum and dad.' In the opening episode of the latest series of 22 Kids and Counting, Noel reveals he met his birth mother for the first time - and she was shocked by the news of his huge family. He told The Sun: 'It was emotional meeting her and I was nervous beforehand. "You don't know what she is going to look or sound like, and how she will react. "A lot was going through my head, but she was so lovely and so glad to see me. We were with each other for a couple of hours.' His mum, who chose to stay anonymous in the show, told him she was forced to give him up at 17 after she split from his birth father. He added: 'As I have got older, I have been curious to find her,' Noel explains. 'I'm only ever going to have one chance and I've got no regrets that I have.' 10 10 10
Edinburgh Live
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
22 Kids and Counting's Millie Radford's three word complaint during £55k holiday
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Millie Radford, star of 22 Kids and Counting, has taken to social media to express her disappointment with a family trip to Disneyland Florida. The holiday was paid for by Noel and Sue Radford, parents to Britain's largest family, who often treat their 22 children and 14 grandchildren to lavish trips abroad. The family recently flew to Florida to celebrate Sue's milestone 50th birthday. However, the trip has been fraught with issues from the start. Initially, the family was separated at Gatwick airport due to Millie failing to renew her and her son Chester's US visas in time. Despite eventually reuniting in the Sunshine State, the holiday has been less than sunny for the Radfords. READ MORE - The Chase's Bradley Walsh 'really struggles' with 'seriously bad' health battle READ MORE - Edinburgh snooker legend's wife was 'devastated' when he moved on with actress 19 years younger Millie posted a sombre photo on Instagram showing grey skies, captioned: "Get me home". Sue also shared the family's frustrations with the long queues they've encountered during the Easter holidays. She revealed: " 95-minute wait for Guardians of the Galaxy. I don't like the fact that they removed the virtual queuing system. Anyone else wish they'd kept that system?", reports the Express. Previously, Disney guests could request to join a virtual queue for rides to save time in the park. Now, visitors must join a "standby queue,", physically waiting in line alongside other park-goers to enter attractions. The Radfords, Britain's largest family, have been on an impressive travel spree, clocking in 14 trips just last year. Their extravagant jaunts included a swanky Disney cruise that set them back £3,800 per night and whisked them away to dreamy locales like Dubai, Lapland, New York, Legoland, and the Maldives. Despite voicing concerns over tight budgets in a chat with The Daily Mirror, the Radfords are all set to splash out on what they're calling the holiday of a lifetime this year. They've not shied away from splurging on their travels either, with Sue Radford stirring up some flak for flaunting a massive plastic cup brimming with what seemed to be Coca-Cola. She quipped on social media, "Look at the size of this takeout cup (bucket). How much would one of these be at a service station in the UK?". "It was £1.50 equivalent here." (Image: (Image: INSTAGRAM))
Scottish Sun
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside Sue Radford's extravagant £52,000 family birthday holiday to Florida – with Disney trips & luxe pool
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRITAIN'S biggest family - the Radfords - are currently enjoying the trip of a lifetime for mum-of-22 Sue's 50th birthday. The Lancashire-based family are having a sun-soaked extravaganza in Florida, which is estimated to cost them £52,000. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 11 Sue Radford has taken her family on a bumper Disney trip to Florida for her 50th - and raved about her £1.50 huge drink Credit: Instagram/@theradfordfamily 11 Sue has shared behind-the-scenes snaps from their trip Credit: Instagram 11 The Radford family appeared to be enjoying their villa's pool Credit: Instagram Despite telling The Daily Mirror they have been "feeling the pinch" financially, they said they planned to spare no expense on this holiday of a lifetime. Sue and Noel, from Morecambe, Lancashire, star in Channel 5's 22 Kids and Counting and also earn money from their business Radford's Pie Company. Sue has shared snaps from the birthday bonanza, including pictures of her bumper brood at Disney parks and enjoying their villa's pool. Yesterday, Sue posted: 'Some pictures from the last few days.' While one family shot showed the Radfords posing with Donald Duck, another showed two of her girls wearing matching outfits and backpacks with identical dolls inside - presumably a new purchase during the trip. Another snap showed Sue wearing Minnie ears as she posed at a Disney theme park. However, one part of the trip hasn't been plain-sailing. Sue took to Instagram to share how they have faced huge queues at this time of year in the Easter holidays. She wrote: '95 minute wait for Guardians of the Galaxy. 'Not liking the fact they removed the virtual queuing system. Anyone else wish they'd kept that system?' While Disney guests used to be able to request to enter a virtual queue for the ride to save them time in the park. Now they have to join a 'standby queue', which is a regular line where they physically wait to join the attraction, along with any other guests in the park. 11 However, Sue was dismayed at how long the queue for Guardians of the Galaxy was Credit: Instagram/@theradfordfamily 11 However, she seemed to be enjoying the bumper trip on the whole Credit: Instagram 11 Two of the girls were pictured in matching outfits with new dolls Credit: Instagram £26,000 flights Sue and her husband Noel Radford have not only taken their own children to Florida, but all of their grandchildren with them too - making the most of the Easter break from school. Sue, 50, and Noel, 54, are parents to Chris, 35, Sophie, 31, Chloe, 29, Jack, 28, Daniel, 26, Luke, 24, Millie, 23, Katie, 22, James, 21, Ellie, 19, Aimee, 18, Josh, 17, Max, 16, Tillie, 14, Oscar, 13, Casper, 12, Haillie, nine, Phoebe, eight, Archie, seven, Bonnie, six, and Heidi, five. Sadly the couple's 17th child Alfie was still born on July 6, 2014. Also joining them will be Chris' wife Nicole Spencer, Sophie's husband Joe Bradley, Chloe's boyfriend Jake Wallace, Millie's husband Harley Passmore and Katie's boyfriend Connor Carter. On top of that all 11 grandchildren are said to be in tow. All in, the family are looking at a jaw-dropping £26,228 on flights - and that's before the excess charges or any extra baggage. 11 It's not the first time the Radfords have visited Florida Credit: Instagram 11 The bumper family often jet to Disney for a big trip Credit: theradfordfamily £20k park tickets Based on the cost of a seven-day Disney visit, which would require each guest to hold a 7-Day Magic Ticket for entrance, Sue and Noel could have forked out £20,065. Luckily for Sue and Noel, children under the age of three go free. So some of the children on the trip won't cost a penny to get into the park. The tickets include access to the park and water parks with the eligibility to enter multiple parks per day. Holders will also have the 'memory maker' package which includes unlimited Disney photopass downloads - pictures taken by photographers around the park, on rides and in restaurants. £6k accommodation Sue and Noel have spoken about their approach to holiday accommodation previously, while appearing on the This Morning show - they revealed they usually opt for a villa to save costs and ensure the bunch can bunk close together. Last September, they shared an Orlando Villa Tour on their Facebook page to their 944,000 followers. One eagle-eyed viewer recognised the accommodation as similar to a property listed on rental site, Vrbo. The glam Vrbo house sleeps 15 - so Sue and Noel will need to book 3 to comfortably house all 39 travellers. The accommodation costs £300 per night, working out at £2,100 per villa for a week and £6,300 in total for all three. And that's without any food in the villa or out in the parks. Millie's drama 11 Sue and Millie Radford have revealed the 'absolute worst start' to their Easter holiday to the US Credit: Instagram 11 Mum-of-three Millie's travel mishap saw her, Ophelia and Chester stranded at Gatwick after they were 'rejected' from their flight Credit: Instagram/@theradfordfamily It appears that the Radfords' posh trip to the US didn't get off to a great start - and in fact, saw Millie Radford and her children separated. Posting on social media, Millie Radford, who first became a mum at 19 and is Sue and Noel's third eldest daughter, detailed the family's chaotic situation that left her stranded after a holiday mishap. In a post shared to her Instagram stories, the 23-year-old mum-of-three revealed that she and two of her kids were "rejected" from joining a flight to America with their wider family. The incident resulted from their ESTAs being out of date, with the travel authorisation used by visitors travelling to the US without a Visa. 11 Sue has shared snaps from their £50,000 trip Credit: Instagram/@theradfordfamily The huge holiday is going to kick off a big year of travel for the Radfords, who enjoyed 14 getaways last year alone. Not only did they enjoy a £3,800 a night Disney cruise, but they also visited a swanky Dubai jaunt and took trips to Lapland, New York, Legoland and the Maldives, too. This won't be the only holiday to celebrate Sue turning 50 - in the same interview with The Daily Mirror, she said her and Noel will jet off for a romantic holiday for two. "But we are going to do a holiday just the two of us as well. That will be nice," she revealed.
The Irish Sun
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside Sue Radford's extravagant £52,000 family birthday holiday to Florida – with Disney trips & luxe pool
BRITAIN'S biggest family - the Radfords - are currently enjoying the trip of a lifetime for mum-of-22 Sue's 50th birthday. The Lancashire-based family are having a sun-soaked extravaganza in Florida, which is 11 Sue Radford has taken her family on a bumper Disney trip to Florida for her 50th - and raved about her £1.50 huge drink Credit: Instagram/@theradfordfamily 11 Sue has shared behind-the-scenes snaps from their trip Credit: Instagram 11 The Radford family appeared to be enjoying their villa's pool Credit: Instagram Despite telling The Daily Mirror they have been "feeling the pinch" financially, they said they planned to spare no expense on this holiday of a lifetime. Sue and Noel, from Morecambe, Lancashire, star in Channel 5's 22 Kids and Counting and also earn money from their business Sue has shared snaps from the birthday bonanza, including pictures of her bumper brood at Disney parks and enjoying their villa's pool . Yesterday, Sue posted: 'Some pictures from the last few days.' More on the Radfords While one family shot showed the Radfords posing with Donald Duck, another showed two of her girls wearing matching outfits and backpacks with identical dolls inside - presumably a new purchase during the trip. Another snap showed Sue wearing Minnie ears as she posed at a Disney theme park. However, one part of the trip hasn't been plain-sailing. Sue took to Instagram to share how they have faced huge queues at this time of year in the Easter holidays. Most read in Fabulous She wrote: '95 minute wait for 'Not liking the fact they removed the virtual queuing system. Anyone else wish they'd kept that system?' While Now they have to join a 'standby queue', which is a regular line where they physically wait to join the attraction, along with any other guests in the park. 11 However, Sue was dismayed at how long the queue for Guardians of the Galaxy was Credit: Instagram/@theradfordfamily 11 However, she seemed to be enjoying the bumper trip on the whole Credit: Instagram 11 Two of the girls were pictured in matching outfits with new dolls Credit: Instagram £26,000 flights Sue and her husband Sue, 50, and Noel, 54, are parents to Chris, 35, Sophie, 31, Chloe, 29, Jack, 28, Daniel, 26, Luke, 24, Millie, 23, Katie, 22, James, 21, Ellie, 19, Aimee, 18, Josh, 17, Max, 16, Tillie, 14, Oscar, 13, Casper, 12, Haillie, nine, Phoebe, eight, Archie, seven, Bonnie, six, and Heidi, five. Sadly the couple's 17th child Alfie was still born on July 6, 2014. Also joining them will be Chris' wife Nicole Spencer, Sophie's husband Joe Bradley, Chloe's boyfriend Jake Wallace, Millie's husband Harley Passmore and Katie's boyfriend Connor Carter. On top of that all 11 grandchildren are said to be in tow. All in, the family are looking at a jaw-dropping £26,228 on flights - and that's before the excess charges or any extra baggage. 11 It's not the first time the Radfords have visited Florida Credit: Instagram 11 The bumper family often jet to Disney for a big trip Credit: theradfordfamily £20k park tickets Based on the cost of a seven-day Disney visit, which would require each guest to hold a 7-Day Magic Ticket for entrance, Sue and Noel could have forked out £20,065. Luckily for Sue and Noel, children under the age of three go free. So some of the children on the trip won't cost a penny to get into the park. The tickets include access to the park and water parks with the eligibility to enter multiple parks per day. Holders will also have the 'memory maker' package which includes unlimited Disney photopass downloads - pictures taken by photographers around the park, on rides and in restaurants . £6k accommodation Sue and Noel have spoken about their approach to holiday accommodation previously, while appearing on the This Morning show - they revealed they usually opt for a villa to save costs and ensure the bunch can bunk close together. Last September, they shared an One eagle-eyed viewer recognised the accommodation as similar to a property listed on rental site, The glam Vrbo house sleeps 15 - so Sue and Noel will need to book 3 to comfortably house all 39 travellers. The accommodation costs £300 per night, working out at £2,100 per villa for a week and £6,300 in total for all three. And that's without any food in the villa or out in the parks. Millie's drama 11 Sue and Millie Radford have revealed the 'absolute worst start' to their Easter holiday to the US Credit: Instagram 11 Mum-of-three Millie's travel mishap saw her, Ophelia and Chester stranded at Gatwick after they were 'rejected' from their flight Credit: Instagram/@theradfordfamily It appears that the Radfords' posh trip to the US didn't get off to a great start - and in fact, saw Posting on social media, Millie Radford, who In a post shared to her Instagram stories, the 23-year-old mum-of-three revealed that she and two of her kids were "rejected" from joining a flight to America with their wider family. The incident resulted from their 11 Sue has shared snaps from their £50,000 trip Credit: Instagram/@theradfordfamily The huge holiday is going to kick off a big year of travel for the Radfords, Not only did they enjoy a £3,800 a night Disney cruise, but they also visited a swanky Dubai jaunt and took trips to This won't be the only holiday to celebrate Sue turning 50 - in the same interview with The Daily Mirror, she said her and Noel will jet off for a romantic holiday for two. "But we are going to do a holiday just the two of us as well. That will be nice ," she revealed. How does family-of-22 the Radfords afford to live? AS Britain's biggest family, it may come as no surprise that Sue and Noel Radford must have some hefty bills. Between them, they have a whopping 22 children and seven dogs, which often has some people wonder how they manage their money. The On their The family expanded their business to cater to online orders placed across the UK. The business is a family affair, with Noel at the helm, and some of their children helping out. The older kids, who are working at least part-time, don't get a free ride as they're made to pay a small amount of rent to their parents. "Us older ones do pay a little bit of board. Granted it's not a lot but I'm also trying to save up for my own house at the moment.' their daughter Sue added: "We've always said if you want to buy somewhere, renting is a bit of dead money, so we'd rather you saved that money up and stayed at home a bit longer. 'I also do believe they should pay board if they are earning. We've always been brought up by our parents that we had to pay board.' They also revealed they make money from brand partnerships on social media. The Brand expert Andy Barr believes Noel and Sue have been paid less than £10,000 for each show. He told the "If they continue to get commissioned for a fourth or fifth season, then they are going to be able to command a higher fee." He estimates that the Radfords make £ 5,000 an episode.
