Dad-of-22 Noel Radford breaks down in tears as emotional discoveries about his past lead to life-changing consequences
BRITAIN’S biggest family were back on our TV screens tonight, with the tenth and final episode of the third series of their hit show, 22 Kids & Counting.
Sue Radford and her husband Noel, have 22 children, nine grand-children and seven dogs.
Last year the family had their busiest year to date, but this year is sure to be full of more challenges and tribulations.
In their new series, they’ve faced a wave of super-sized family dramas, unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before.
In tonight’s finale episode of their incredible series, for the first time in his life, the adopted dad-of-22 Noel decided it was the right time to discover more about his birth parents, leading to emotional discoveries with potentially life changing consequences.
Parents of the UK’s largest family, the Radfords, were both adopted as babies and in tonight’s episode, Sue and Noel went on a genetic journey, taking Noel into a past he knew nothing about.
Noel explained: “We are both adopted but I don’t think it’s affected our relationship in any way, we are just normal people and that’s it.”
The couple have never had any contact with their birth parents, and know nothing about either of their families’ medical history.
The journey started when one of their daughters, 17-year-old Ellie, fell ill.
Sue noted: “Ellie is very lethargic, she doesn’t have any energy. There’s a lot going on with Ellie at the minute.
“It’s really unusual for Ellie to be off her food, she’s not eating much and we’ve noticed that she’s lost a lot of weight.”
Discussing Ellie’s health and symptoms, Sue took her to the doctors.
After having tests, it was identified that everything was normal, apart from her liver function.
Sue explained: “The only thing that was a problem was that her liver function is high.
“It’s beyond the level that they would say is normal. She said she thinks she’s got Gilbert’s Syndrome.
“Basically Gilbert’s Syndrome is hereditary, it’s genetic, it can get passed on, so she said either I’m a carrier or Noel is a carrier. It might mean that some of the other children might have it.”
The diagnosis sparked concern with Noel and Sue and as neither of them have their biological family history, Sue ordered a home test in an attempt to find out more.
Noel pricked Sue’s finger and then did his own, to collect a blood sample and the likelihood of Ellie being the only one with Gilbert’s Syndrome is low, so Sue got the whole family tested too.
Noel then added: “We’re both adopted, we know nothing about our medical history.
“I’d quite like to find out a bit more about my family side, where I’m from.”
Sue replied: “I’m quite happy to do the medical side of it, but I don’t want to do any more digging deeper.
“For me, I’ve always felt like my mum and dad are my mum and dad and I’ve never felt like digging any deeper.”
Noel then said: “I think it might just be a bit interesting.”
He then bought himself a DNA testing kit, to learn more about his family history.
Noel noted: “I don’t really know much about my biological family so something like this will shed a bit of light about what the history might bring, health wise.
“It might tell me a bit more about who I am, where I’m from, possibly my birth parents.
“Now as I’m getting older, I do think about it a bit more often.”
Noel’s results identified that he is 97.2% British and Irish and provided a huge family tree.
Holding back tears, Noel explained: “I don’t really like talking about my adoption.
“I don’t know why I don’t like talking about it, it’s just weird. I just don’t like it.
“I have a lot of respect for my mum and dad and I think it’s mainly to do with that.
“I’m glad I was adopted to be honest, because I wouldn’t have the life I have now, which is weird to say, but yeah.”
Regardless of his close relationship with his parents, Noel was still keen to dig deeper to find out more about his biological family.
Whilst on a drive to pick up a new mixer for his bakery, a diversion took him away from the motorway and to a hospital.
He noted: “I’m just on my way to look at my mixer and I’ve ended up here – Stepping Hill Hospital, which is actually in Stockport.
“Is that possibly where I was born? In that building there?
“It would have been the first and the last time I was with my birth mum.”
As he broke down in tears, he added: “I came out one door and went one way and my birth mum went the other.”
When he arrived back home two hours later, Noel opened up to Sue about his day.
He added: “I went to look at the mixer, but I ended up in Stockport and ended up at the hospital, and I think it was probably the hospital I was born in.
“It was a bit surreal. It’s quite sad that someone gives you up, for whatever reason they might have to.”
Sue then responded: “For you Noel, I think it has always bothered you, so if you want to find your birth parents, you should definitely do it.”
This prompted Noel to dig even deeper and he applied for his adoption records.
Later in the episode, the documents arrived and Noel sat down to read them.
He noted: “There’s quite a lot of information actually, it says I was adopted by my mum and dad on 3rd January 1971.
“Born in Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport.
“My birthday is actually my birthday, it’s not been changed in any way.
“My birth mum was 16, so she’s about 68 or 69 now.
“There’s a good chance she’s still alive and kicking. Hopefully she is.
“I don’t know the situation she was in.
“It’s got my birth mum’s name. I’ve actually got her name.”
As the episode ended, a teaser for the next series revealed that Noel would be diving deeper in search of information about his past.