Dad Of UK’s Largest Family With 22 Kids Defends Getting His Wife Pregnant When She Was 13

The Radfords hold the title for Britain's largest family, with Sue and Noel as parents to 22 children and celebrating over three decades of marriage.

When they made their reality TV debut, inviting cameras into their family house, the Radfords became the stars of 22 Kids & Counting.

The couple have been married for more than 30 years. Channel 4

Their initial appearance on the reality show in 2012 bore the title 15 Kids and Counting. 

Since then, the family has welcomed many more additions, with baby number 22 joining the lively household in 2020.

Few days ago, Sue and Noel have released  their book titled The Radfords: Making Life Count. 

Within its pages, Noel addressed comments concerning the ages at which they became parents to their first child.

At the tender ages of 13 and 17, Sue and Noel found themselves facing parenthood. Their circumstances drew criticism when highlighted in one of their reality shows.

They said some of their children were ‘affected’ by the online comments Instagram / The Radford Family

In the book, Noel acknowledged that they "were both just kids" during that period of their lives.

"People have inevitably talked about the situation and it has been written about in the newspapers and discussed on social media," he wrote in Making Life Count."

"There has been a lot of focus on it and, in a way, it was probably worse for us than when it actually happened. So many people have given their opinions."

"But we were both kids it was not as if I was 10 or 15 years older than Sue."

"For a lot of people, though, things are just black and white and you are tarnished with the same brush as other people in totally different situations."

Noel and Sue met when he was 11 and she was 7 Instagram / The Radford Family

"We were young and we were daft. But we wanted to continue as a couple."

He added that he didn't get into any real trouble for it because it was up to the parents to deal with. 

He mentioned that there were no serious consequences, like the police showing up at their door. 

He also thought their doctor might have had to report it, but nothing came of it.

In another part of the book, the couple shared that they first met because Noel was friends with Sue's older brother. 

Instagram / The Radford Family

They decided to raise their child together because they had both been adopted themselves. 

Last year, the Radfords were asked if they were planning to expand their brood.

‘Definitely not,’ Sue responded on their YouTube channel. ‘No more babies,’ Noel agreed.