Sue Radford's 'dreams are shattered' as she loses perfect family home

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Privacy NoticeSue Radford is a wife, a business woman and a mum of 22 so it’s understandable she would long for quieter life in the country. Earlier this year she was planning to swap her chaotic 10-bedroom Morecambe townhouse for a new £850,000 country home set in the picturesque countryside. However, the couple recently received the devastating news that the house sale had fallen through and Sue has now given up on her dream. “We really wanted to move to the countryside for a quieter life, a bit more privacy,” Sue tells OK!. “When it fell through it was absolutely gutting, but sometimes you think these things happen for a reason and I guess it was just not meant to be. It was upsetting when it happened. The house move was an emotional episode.”

Sue and Noel Radford have 22 children and had planned to move to the country before their purchase fell through
(Image: Lion TV)

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Mum of 22 Sue Radford in heartbreaking tribute to baby son she lost 10yrs ago saying sadly ‘this time of year never gets easier’

Sue and her husband Noel are parents to Britain’s biggest family, sharing Chris, 35, Sophie, 30, Chloe, 28, Jack, 27, Daniel, 25, Luke, 23, Millie, 22, Katie, 21, James, 20, Ellie, 19, Aimee, 18, Josh, 17, Max, 15, Tillie, 14, Oscar, 12, Casper, 11, Hallie, nine, Phoebe, seven, Archie, six, Bonnie, five and Heidie, four. Their 17th child, Alfie, was stillborn in 2014 and would now be 10 years old. Sue and Noel had planned to let five of their older children remain in their current house. That’s no longer happening but Sue admits she’s a little relieved.

Sue Radford has a heart to heart with her daughter Chloe as they walk along the beach

“It always bothered me that some of the older kids were going to still live in this house and we were going to go and live in the new house,” she confesses. “So I’m glad that we’re not doing it now. There are so many memories that have been made in this house. It would have been a shame to have left it behind.” The drama plays out in the fifth series of 22 Kids & Counting, which returns to our screens on Channel 5. The failed house move is just one of many ups and downs that the Radfords have to face together. Adopted Noel decides to investigate his biological family, Millie has big personal news, there’s another baby on the way and son Casper takes centre stage as he decides to follow his footballing dreams. “There are lots of things in this series,” says Sue. “It will show Noel’s adoption story, Millie’s engagement is very exciting – the wedding should be around the end of this year – and Katie’s gender reveal is coming.”

Casper dreams of becoming a professional footballer and playing for Liverpool FC

Young Casper wins hearts in episode one as he goes to football trials to see if he can get scouted for a major club. Disappointment follows, but Casper keeps his dream alive with a new move. Sue couldn’t be prouder. “He’s such a lovely soul is Casper,” she says, and she was saddened when her son’s ambitions were thwarted. “When your children have hopes and dreams and they’re shattered because they don’t get what they would really love, then it’s difficult not to let them get disheartened. “But it’s not going to put him off. He’s going to try again and that’s typical Casper – you’ll always find him with a football. He loves football.” Putting your children on TV is a bold move, but Sue and Noel have never worried about fame affecting their offspring.

Noel and Sue Radford smile despite his mid-life crisis

“At the end of the day, the kids know we are a normal family,” says Sue. “We have a few more children than most, but we are just a normal family and they don’t see themselves as famous. We’re just a normal family with lots more children! I think the kids will always be grounded in that respect.” In America, the Kardashians are reality TV icons, but Sue doesn’t worry about her kids longing for a more material lifestyle like the US stars. “Material things don’t matter,” she says. “So long as you have your family, that’s all that matters. We do keep the kids grounded. They’re just normal kids. Me and Noel have never been the sort of parents that would want that for our children.” Sue and Noel have always been ready to share every aspect of their life with the nation, so when their son Alfie was sadly stillborn on 6 July 2014, Sue was completely open about the heartbreak the family experienced. She has also worked hard to ensure that they keep Alfie’s memory alive.

Casper watches Liverpool play football as he bonds with his dad Noel

“When we lost Alfie, we were really open about losing him and we wanted people to realise that it’s OK to talk about it,” she explains. “It’s helped so many people that have gone through or are going through the same thing. We frequently get messages to say, ‘Thank you so much for sharing your story. It’s really helped me.’ It’s lovely to be able to support all those parents.” Noel and Sue’s relationship is the heartbeat of the family and they’re still going strong. “What helps is that we’re not stressy people,” says Sue. “We let a lot go over our heads. Life is just too short for all of that.” But Sue and Noel are just normal people like the rest of us and when 53-year-old Noel has a midlife crisis, it’s all caught on camera, especially his spray tan. “Noel had a bit of a midlife crisis,” laughs Sue. “He went on a rambling walk with some ramblers, took some time out from work…” With Heidie starting school, Sue will finally have some time for herself and she’s hoping to use it to reconnect with Noel. “We used to try to have a date night once a month, but things are just quite hectic and sometimes you don’t get around to it,” she says. “I think Noel might take a day off work and we might go out and do something for the day together. We’re really looking forward to that in September.” 22 Kids & Counting, Sunday 21 July, 8pm, Channel 5Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnSue Radford

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