SOLDIERING ON
Mum-of-22 Sue Radford breaks down in tears & shares ‘absolute nightmare’ as Tillie, 14, is bullied because of disability
Scroll down to find out more on Tillie's health battle
BRITAIN’S Biggest Family is back on our screens and tonight Tillie Radford, 14, opens up on her life-changing disability.
In tonight’s episode of 22 Kids & Counting, the fifth of the new Channel 5 series, we see mum-of-22 Sue, 49, break down in tears as she reveals the ‘absolute nightmare’ her daughter has been through.
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Sue, who has ten grandchildren and lives in a 10-bedroom Morecambe home - known as the ‘millionaire mansion’ - in Lancashire, explains that her daughter Tillie’s leg stopped growing when she was just 18 months old.
As a result, Tillie had a frame fitted to her leg in 2019 to lengthen it but unfortunately they find out she still needs more treatment going forward.
Recalling the moment when she first notices Tillie’s Limb Length Discrepancy (LLD), Sue explains: “So the background to Tillie’s leg, probably when she was about five, she was standing in front of me and I think ‘oh,’ there is a bone that looks like it is sticking out.”
After a trip to the doctor, it was discovered that an infection in her leg caused the health issue.
Read more on the Radfords
As Sue recorded herself whilst sitting in her car, she broke down in tears and sobbed: “It has damaged the growth plate, so they don’t know if that bone will now stop growing.
“We just have to hope that it doesn’t and it’s alright. Absolute nightmare.”
Tillie then had an operation and for nine months afterwards, had to wear a mechanical device to stretch her leg.
But wearing the mechanical device was extremely tough for the youngster, as dad-of-22 Noel recalls: “She looked so down and upset, and that’s not what you want for your kids, is it?”
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And even after the device was removed, it left her with scars - and now, four years on from her surgery, Tillie’s leg troubles are still not behind her.
The youngster says: “My leg isn’t growing and I’m very lopsided. If I don’t go on my tip toe, one leg is shorter than the other and it’s really uncomfortable to walk on.
Dad-of-22 Noel Radford battling a 'mid-life crisis', turning his back on the Britain's biggest family
“On my first operation with the cage on my leg, it was very painful. Trying to walk on it, I just couldn’t do it because the pain was unbearable.
“I told my dad I really hated the look of it. I wasn’t happy.”
Every day, kids will say ‘why do you limp?’, ‘why do you wear odd shoes?’. They’ll find a way to talk about it
Tillie Radford
And unfortunately for the Radford child, her leg seems to be getting worse, as Noel explains: “We’ve noticed a massive change in her limp. She walks on her tiptoes on one foot.”
Whilst Tillie’s shorter leg can likely be lengthened, it would involve further surgery.
“The last time we met the consultant, Tillie was happy just to have an orthopaedic shoe and carry on with life like that,” Noel says.
What is Limb Length Discrepancy?
Limb Length Discrepancy (LLD) refers to a condition where one leg or arm is shorter than the other.
This discrepancy can range from a minor difference, which may not cause any symptoms, to a significant difference that affects mobility and posture.
Causes
- Congenital Factors: Conditions present at birth, such as congenital hip dysplasia or hemihypertrophy.
- Injury: Fractures or damage to the growth plates in children can lead to LLD.
- Infection: Severe infections can damage bone growth.
- Diseases: Conditions like polio, cerebral palsy, and bone tumors.
- Surgical Procedures: Operations that affect bone length, such as the removal of bone tumors.
Symptoms
- Visible Difference: One leg or arm appears shorter than the other.
- Gait Issues: Limping or an uneven walking pattern.
- Postural Problems: Tilting of the pelvis, scoliosis, or compensatory curvature of the spine.
- Pain: Discomfort in the lower back, hips, knees, or ankles due to uneven weight distribution.
- Fatigue: Increased tiredness from compensatory movements.
But the parents-of-22 are concerned that if Tillie doesn’t have the operation now, she will be storing up hip and knee issues for when she gets older.
Discussing the first operation, Noel says: “It was quite traumatising to see”, to which Tillie nodded and agreed.
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Whilst another operation means many months with another cage around her leg, it was more what school bullies would say that concerned Tillie the most.
The 14-year-old says: “I’ve got to think about what kids will say as well.
I don’t like the look of my leg, I don’t like talking about it. I can hardly look at it
Tillie Radford
“Every day, kids will say ‘why do you limp?’, ‘why do you wear odd shoes?’. They’ll find a way to talk about it.”
As Tillie began to cry, Noel chimed in: “It’s not right, that’s bullying. What kid should have to suffer bullying just because they’ve got a disability of some kind? It’s quite sick isn’t it.”
Who's who in the Radford family?
The Radfords are Britain's biggest family with 22 children.
Here are the kids from eldest to youngest include:
- Chris - born May 7, 1989
- Sophie - born December 13, 1993
- Chloe - born July 31, 1995
- Jack - born April 9, 1997
- Daniel - born March 3, 1999
- Luke - born October 1, 2000
- Millie Radford - born August 29, 2001
- Katie - born November 14, 2002
- James - born October 17, 2003
- Ellie - born May 6, 2005
- Aimee - born April 21, 2006
- Josh - born July 3, 2007
- Max - born December 11, 2008
- Tillie - born May 2, 2010
- Oscar - born October 22, 2011
- Casper, - born October 3, 2012
- Hallie - born June 3, 2015
- Phoebe - born July 24, 2016
- Archie - born September 18, 2017
- Bonnie - born November 6, 2018
- Heidie - born April 3, 2020
Later in the episode, Tillie arrives home early from school after an episode with nasty bullies, but Sue confesses that it isn't the first time.
The family’s matriarch says: “One time she ended up ringing us in floods of tears, so hysterical she could hardly get her words out.”
Following this, Tillie admitted: “I’ve come home early, a kid just said something really, really bad that made me come home, because I couldn’t get through the day dealing with that.
What kid should have to suffer bullying just because they’ve got a disability of some kind, it’s quite sick
Noel Radford
“It really made me upset. They don’t really know what effect it could have on you and how deep it can go.
“I don’t like the look of my leg, I don’t like talking about it. I can hardly look at it.”
Concerned about the frame and more bullying, she adds: “I just don’t want a repeat of how that was. It’s really hard to try and convince myself that I want the operation.”
I didn’t really realise it was that bad.
Sue Radford
Whilst having a chat with her older sister Sophie, Tillie confessed: “Since I got into secondary school, I don’t like wearing skirts.
“I’ve got so many skirts in my wardrobe but I just never really wear them and when I do it’s always in the house, I never go out in them.”
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, .
Later in the episode, Sue, Noel, and Tillie head to the doctor to discuss the next steps.
While Tillie confesses that her leg has “been hurting a lot more than usual,” after being examined by her doctor, Doctor James, she receives some bad news.
The doctor tells them: “There’s a difference of three and a half cm.”
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 , 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 .
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 : "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.
Totally stunned, Sue expresses: “I didn't really realise it was that bad. Obviously, it’s putting a lot of pressure on her body as well.”
“My suggestion is that it’s wide enough that we can get one of the new internal lengthening nails as opposed to having something on the outside," the doctor tells them.
“We'll break the bone and reposition it in the right position and we can put something on the inside to hold it, so you slowly lengthen the bone. It takes about five, six months.”
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Relieved at the thought of not having to have a cage, Tillie beams: “I want the operation.”
While the youngster has to wait months for the operation, Tillie makes a decision that may potentially change her life - and put an end to the nasty bullies.
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