Mum-of-22 Sue Radford plans special holiday for all the family abroad as she turns 50

As the mum of Britain’s biggest family she’s given birth to a staggering 22 children. So you’d have thought there was little that could leave Sue Radford flustered. But 2025 has one thing in store that even Sue isn’t sure she can handle….turning the big 5-0.

It is a milestone which she has been dreading and with the big day approaching in March, she’s now come up with a unique plan to “soften the blow” – a “whole year of celebrations”.

It will start with huge family holiday to Walt Disney World, Florida, with all the children and grandchildren, then a couple’s holiday for her and husband Noel and plenty more besides.

In fact there’s only one thing she won’t be willing to try as she hits her half century – following in her daughter Sophie’s footsteps and getting some cosmetic “tweakments”.

Why? Because, despite going through labour more times than any other woman in the UK, the thought of plastic surgery leaves her feeling distinctly squeamish.

In an exclusive interview from their home in Morecambe, Lancs, Sue says: “Turning 50 is such a big deal. I remember when I was 40 and that was a big deal. I absolutely hated it! So [this time], I said: ‘You know what, because I am turning 50, I am definitely having a whole year of celebrations!’

“I think if you are going to turn 50, to soften the blow a little bit, it’s got to be big…It will be nice to do a few things!”

Turning to her husband of 32 years, Noel, Sue then grins: “No pressure!”

The couple’s chemistry has been one of the reasons the family’s reality show, which started again last Sunday, is still proving such a big hit.

And there’s no shortage of teasing that goes on between them.

Sue and Noel are speaking to us from their 10-bed Victorian home, via zoom. So when I remark Sue looks far younger than her years, Noel can’t resist a jibe – and he cheekily whipping out a tissue and pretending to clean the camera lens.

Sue giggles, but takes no offence. She’s more concerned with outlining the plans she has already made for her special birthday. As well as a romantic getaway on their own together, she is planning a huge trip to Disney in Florida taking all her children with her: Chris, 35, Sophie, 31, Chloe, 29, Jack, 27, Daniel, 25, Luke, 24, Millie, 23, Katie, 22, James, 21, Ellie, 19, Aimee, 18, Josh, 17, Max, 16, Tillie, 14, Oscar, 13, Casper, 12, Hallie, nine, Phoebe, eight, Archie, seven, Bonnie, six, and Heidie, four. Sadly, the couple’s 17th child, Alfie, was stillborn on July 6, 2014.

Her eleven grandchildren will also be joining Sue and Noel on the big birthday holiday, along with her children’s partners. Even the cheapest week-long deals are north of £600 an adult, according to websites today. However, upbeat Sue is keeping tight-lipped on who’s paying what.

Instead she just excitedly reveals: “We are going to do a big 50th holiday with all the kids and the grandkids, to Disney. We will go in the Easter break. The kids all love it and the grandkids do too.”

She pauses, smiles and then adds: “But we are going to do a holiday just the two of us as well. That will be nice.”

So what do you buy the supermum and matriarch of the family? Sue’s birthday is March 22, and Noel is keeping coy, but insists he’s been thinking of ideas already.

Any kind of cosmetic work – or as celebs call them “tweakments”- is definitely not on her wish list. She recently decided to seek advice from beauty experts during a trip to a salon with her eldest daughter, Sophie – a trip that will be featured during their series, 22 Kids and A Wedding. And let’s just say, she’s now decided it’s definitely not for her.

“Sophie broke her nose when she was younger and it has always really bothered her,” Sue explains. “So she had some kind of fillers and something to her lips done too.

“I just watched her! But I did think ‘Oh gawd, I don’t think I could ever do that’!.”

Away from her birthday, Sue admits she is enjoying her new found independence after the couple’s youngest daughter, Heidie, four, started school in September. It is the first time in three decades that she hasn’t had a child at home during the day.

Controversially, Sue and Noel were childhood sweethearts, who first got together when she was 13 and he was 17. She became pregnant a month after they started dating and – as they were both adopted themselves – made the tough decision to keep the baby. They married when Sue was 17. Both have struggled with the trolls over the fact she was underage – although the four-year age gap means nothing to them now.

Rather than looking back at a difficult past, Sue is more concerned with the present – and what to do now Heidie is at school.

“I am quite enjoying having a bit of free time now,” she says. “But I have to confess I did cry when she went to school. It’s such a big moment – your last baby going to school and you don’t have anymore at home. I do also love having the house full and bustling.”

As she chats, Noel, 54, is smiling and agreeing with her. The couple have now been married for 32 years and whilst they admit having so many children has obviously been life changing, they definitely don’t have any regrets.

“Everything we have done we wouldn’t change,” stresses Noel.

Asked what the secret is behind their strong marriage and the couple both agree it is to make sure they always tell each other everything. “No secrets”, they say in unison.

“We always say: ‘keep talking,’” explains Noel.

With so much life experience under their belt already looking after their twenty plus family, it’s not surprising to then learn some of Sue and Noel’s older children are now asking them for marital and baby advice.

“Chloe has also been finding it hard during her second pregnancy and has been worrying about how she will share the love amongst two. I’ve assured her that there is enough love to go around and enough time!”

It’s this kind of down to earth, practical advice that is also proving popular with the couple’s millions of TV fans.

Yet with every positive message, there are also sadly some who troll the family. After they posted a social media video on Christmas Day to their 539k Instagram followers showing the family’s presents, some cruel keyboard warriors branded the footage as ‘festive overkill’.

One wrote: “It’s sickening the amount of presents this year…ridiculous parenting.”

Today, Sue admits the couple actually made a conscious decision to halve their normal budget of around £300 per child after splashing out on a £9,000 wedding in November for their daughter Millie to her now husband, Harley. The wedding, which was exclusively covered by our sister publication OK! at the time, will be shown on the second episode of their new Channel 5 series when it airs this Sunday, 8pm.

She reveals: “We actually purposely scaled it right down this year by at least half. We told the kids they wouldn’t be getting as much as past years and they were all absolutely fine with it. They were so understanding.”

The couple, who run their own pie business and make money from their show, have vowed to never let the trolls’ messages upset them. Noel explains: “At the end of the day, that living room stuff for twenty odd people in there!”

The family have been feeling the pinch like the rest of us in the cost of living crisis. Especially when it comes to feeding their army of children and cutting their £450 weekly food bill.

Noel says: “We have noticed the shopping bill especially (going up). We have altered the way we do that. We used to do it online.

“But you are better going to Aldi and shopping around.”

As they chat, it’s clear the couple pride themselves on being very fair with each of their children. They’ve all been promised a pram if they have any babies of their own.

It’s a promise they may come to regret. Sue admits grandchildren are coming “thick and fast” with Chloe’s second baby due this year.

Noel adds: “We sometimes sit back thinking how many grandchildren will we end up having! We think it’s going to be at least 60!”

So while Sue might be the one turning 50, with that many Radfords in one booking, Mickey and Minnie might be the ones in for a grey hair or two….

*22 Kids and A Wedding airs Sundays at 8pm on Channel 5. You can also download episodes on My5 hub.