Mum-of-22 Sue Radford reveals ‘biggest fear’ as son Daniel, 25, plans to move to Australia after near-death accident
BRITAIN’S Biggest Family is back on our screens and tonight, we saw mum-of-22 reveal her ‘biggest fear’.
In tonight’s episode of 22 Kids & Counting, the fourth of the new Channel 5 series, Sue Radford, 49, voiced her concerns of her children leaving home.
Sue, who has ten grandchildren and lives in a 10-bedroom Morecambe home, known as the ‘millionaire mansion’, in Lancashire, revealed: “I do fear all of the kids leaving home and the house being really empty, because it’s always such a busy, full house.”
But it appears that the Radford household is shrinking, as in the last six years, four children have left home.
Sue explained: “Chris, he had kids, Sophie left home because she had Daisy, Chloe left home to go to uni and then had Mila and then Millie left home because she had kids.”
And with Sue and Noel’s son Daniel, 25, planning to move to Australia, Sue confessed: “I’m going to miss Daniel so much.
Read more on the Radfords
“We’ve only had four of our children leave home, but they’re all close by, so Daniel is the only one going miles and miles away.
“In short of going to the moon, he couldn’t get further away, could he?
“He’s going to be going on his own, he’s not going to have his family there.”
But the youngster was clearly looking forward to emigrating, as he beamed: “I think there’s more opportunities - a lot of sunny beaches and nice looking girls.”
But with a job opportunity secured, Noel was relieved that his son would live comfortably on the other side of the world.
The father-of-22 shared: “As parents, we don’t have to worry, as we know he can support himself once he’s out there.”
HORRENDOUS CAR ACCIDENT
But after Daniel received an email asking for his driving licence, he opened up on his near-death experience, that has meant he hasn’t driven in two years.
Discussing his horrendous car accident, he recalled: “I was living in Bristol and I went to pick some food up with my friend, and I came to a junction.
The Radford Family's TV history
THE first ever episode of 22 Kids and Counting aired on Channel 5 on 22nd February, 2021.
After the first series - which had just four episodes in it - performed well, Channel 5 commissioned a 10-episode second season, which was broadcast in 2022.
They went on to commission a third series, which included a Christmas special aired in December 2023.
The fourth season began airing in January 2024, but fans were left disappointed when it stopped after six episodes.
Sue and Noel reassured viewers that they were just taking a little break, and the next episode will be airing on 21st July.
You can catch up on all previous episodes of 22 Kids and Counting on My 5, here.
“As I turned left, I turned my head to speak to my friend and I turned the wheel the other way. It hit the curb and flipped the car over. I was upside down and I couldn’t get out of the car.
“My mate got out of the car and realised I couldn’t get the seatbelt off.
The car was completely written off. It’s the scariest thing I’ve been through
Daniel Radford
“The airbag went off and busted my nose.
“My mate came back into the car and started battering the seatbelt.
"He got the seat belt loose and that’s when I eventually got out of the car.
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 Radfords support themselves with the proceeds of Noel’s bakery, The Radford Pie Company, which is located near their home.
On their website, it says: “We have owned our own lovely bakery since 1999 which is how we manage to provide for (and feed) our huge and expanding family as well as for the local people of Heysham and Morecambe.”
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 Chloe said in a video on the YouTube channel.
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.”
Noel and Sue famously don’t rely on benefits for their bumper brood and live off their pie shop for income.
They also revealed they make money from brand partnerships on social media.
The Radford family stars in their own reality TV show 22 Kids and Counting - which has run for four series.
Brand expert Andy Barr believes Noel and Sue have been paid less than £10,000 for each show.
He told the Daily Mail: "The typical fee per episode is going to be in the thousands rather than the tens or hundreds of thousands that people often think is the case with TV shows of this nature.
"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.
“There was fire service, ambulance and the police, so all the services were there.
“The car was upside down, all the windows were smashed, the doors were smashed, the roof caved in.
“The car was completely written off. It’s the scariest thing I’ve been through.”
Thinking back to the traumatic time, Sue admitted: “We were actually in America when we found out and Daniel had texted Noel.
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“I think he was more worried about my reaction, because he knew we would be really worried about him.
“Daniel was always a really confident person, a confident driver, but since this accident, I think his confidence with driving has really taken a bit of a knock.”
