The cost of living crisis is proving to be tough for many people, including Noel and Sue Radford who are parents to 22 children. They star in the Channel 5 series 22 Kids & Counting.
In a recent episode, Noel and Sue spoke about how they were struggling to keep their smart meter topped up during the cost of living crisis. Mum Sue said: “It’s ridiculous, I’m sure I put £50 on that yesterday morning. This is getting beyond a joke, it really is ridiculous.”
Dad Noel added: “We have a top-up thing which we like. It’s handy because you keep on top of your bills and you don’t run up a big bill, but it’s just getting crazy stupid, we feel like we’re down the shop every day topping up.”
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Sue and Noel had their first child, Chris, in 1989 when Sue was 14. Over the years their brood has grown and they most recently had Heidie who is one year old. The couple now also have 13 grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.
Paying for their mammoth family is no easy feat and the Radfords have said they live on the income from Noel's family bakery business, The Radford Pie Company, which is located near their family home in Morecambe. Noel is the family breadwinner, having been a baker for 25 years and working in several bakeries from trainee to manager before opening his own bakery in 1999.
During previous episodes in the series the family went on holiday to Florida and Sue considered moving the family out there. Some viewers criticised the Radford's talking about struggling to pay for the electric, shortly after returning from a holiday.
One said: "Love that the Radfords are complaining about the cost of living a few episodes after their £20k+ trip for 26 of them to Florida and a new motorhome… pull the other one #22kidsandcounting." Another added: "Bloody hell! Now Chloe is moaning about the cost of living yet they managed to fit in a holiday abroad. You can’t do that if you’re skint. #22kidsandcounting."
22 Kids & Counting airs on Channel 5 on Sundays at 8pm.
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