NOT RAD-TASTIC
Mum-of-22 Sue Radford MISSED ‘scared’ 21-year-old daughter’s birth as Noel booked posh Dubai break at £400 a night hotel
Plus scroll down to find out how the Radfords afford to live
SUE Radford was left devastated after missing the birth of her 13th grandchild - all because husband Noel booked her a surprise holiday just three weeks before their daughter's due date.
Katie Radford, 22, from Morecambe, Lancashire - the eighth eldest of Britain's largest family - gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Ronnie Hudson Carter, back in October last year.
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And the latest episode of 22 Kids & A Baby, which airs on Channel 5 this Sunday, documents Katie's pregnancy journey before giving birth to the son she shares with long term partner Connor Carter.
Despite the mum-to-be wanting Sue, 49, to be preset for the birth, a booking blunder from Noel, 54, meant parents of Britain’s Biggest Family ended up missing the arrival of Ronnie - much to Sue's disappointment.
During the episode, the first-time mum’s pregnancy was revealed after Noel discovers a positive test in the family home and realises it must be Katie's.
But later in the episode, Noel decides to whisk Sue away to influencer hotspot Dubai.
Read more on the Radfords
And his romantic gesture has disastrous consequences when Sue realises that the trip falls three weeks before Katie is due to give birth.
And whilst the grandparents rushed home, on a flight from Manchester to Dubai, the then 21-year-old gave birth to her first child - without Sue and Noel present.
In the episode, to celebrate his 32 year anniversary with wife Sue, Noel organises a lavish getaway to Dubai.
And over a posh meal cooked by Noel, the dad-of-22 reveals his exciting trip.
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He beams: “I’ve put a lot of thought into this present, after all it’s our anniversary and being together is something to celebrate.
“We have so little time for ourselves, we need to make memories for experiences.”
Millie Radford's husband in tears on wedding day over 'heartbreaking' discovery - as mum-of-22 Sue admits couple 'clash'
But Sue worries: “You’ve booked it three weeks before Katie is due to have the baby. She could go weeks before and that would be when we’re out there. We can’t do that date.”
To which Noel claps back: “Everything is booked and paid for - hotel, flights, airport transfer, I even booked the car park. Don’t flap, it’ll be fine.”
How many people are in the Radford family?
Sue and Noel Radford have 22 children and 11 grandchildren.
- Noel - 54
- Sue - 49
- Chris - 35 (married to Nicole Spencer and have three children: Maisie, seven, Jacob, five and Oaklyn, three)
- Sophie - 31 (married to Joe Bradley and have three children: Daisy, 12, Ayprill, 10 and Leo, nine)
- Chloe - 29 (dating Jake Wallace and have one child: Mila, two, and pregnant with baby number two)
- Jack - 27
- Daniel - 25
- Luke - 24
- Millie - 23 (married to Harley Passmore and have three children: Ophelia, four, Chester two, and Elodie, 16 months)
- Katie - 22 (dating Connor Carter and have baby Ronnie, three months old)
- James - 21
- Ellie - 19
- Aimee - 18
- Josh - 17
- Max - 16
- Tillie - 14
- Oscar - 13
- Casper - 12
- Hallie - nine
- Phoebe - eight
- Archie - seven
- Bonnie - six
- Heidie - four
Number of family members and ages are correct as of January 2025.
Things quickly got sour as Sue then chimes in: “That’s too risky Noel, I don’t feel comfortable going when she’s due around that time. I can’t go Noel”
Which has Noel putting his foot down and ordering: “Well we’re going.”
Clearly not impressed, Sue gets up from the table and claims: “I know Noel’s got the right intentions, but it’s just not the right time. His good intentions are not that great this time.
“I’ve never missed the birth of one of our grandchildren so it would just be really upsetting, it’s not a great idea.”
But after getting the green light from Katie, Sue explains: "I'm still not happy that we are going, I feel like I’m having to make a decision between Noel and Katie.
“We’re gonna go and hopefully everything will be alright.”
Later in the episode, after Sue and Noel arrive in Dubai, with 19 days until Katie's due date, a panicked Katie says: “I can’t get through to mum and dad, none of my messages are delivering. I’m absolutely petrified. It’s scary.”
In a tense scene, Noel records him and Sue in a taxi as they head back to the airport, not long after arriving at what is presumed to be The Atlantis, a hotel the Radfords have previously stayed at when visiting the UAE, where an average night in October starts at £400.
We’ve literally got to the hotel, sat down and rebooked the flights to go back home again. Tense times
Noel Radford
Noel confesses: “So we flew in last night, did an overnight flight, and during the flight, we got a message from Katie to say that she’d gone into labour.
“It’s not worked out. We’re back on our way home again. We’ve literally got to the hotel, sat down and rebooked the flights to go back home again. Tense times.”
Clearly not happy, Sue adds: "Obviously there was quite a lot of anxiety for me because I knew Katie really wanted me there. I was worried about how she was going to cope with labour with me not being there.”
Thankfully, the couple made the flight back to Manchester, as Sue sternly warns: “The thing to take from this, is please listen to me next time.”
But just over two hours before their flight was due to land, Katie and Connor’s baby Ronnie was born, after 18 hours in labour.
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.
Sue shares: “When we landed and we got a text that he was here, we missed it but at least he’s here safe and sound and Katie was all good.
“I really wanted to go to the hospital when we got back but it was too late, so we had to wait until the following morning.
“But could I sleep? Could I ‘eck? It was exhausting, exhilaration, I was tossing and turning all night and I just couldn’t sleep. I was so excited to finally meet the baby.”
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Ronnie Hudson Carter was born on October 8, 2024, weighing 7lbs 11oz.
In a sweet Instagram announcement after the birth, Katie wrote: 'Tuesday 8th October born at 5:03PM weighing 7:11 the day you changed our lives forever little man mummy and daddy love you so much RONNIE HUDSON CARTER.'
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