Sue Radford has confirmed that her eldest daughter, Sophie, has separated from her husband Joe Bradley after 10 years of marriage.
The 22 Kids & Counting star shared the news ahead of Sunday’s episode (February 1st) of the Channel 5 reality series, which will see the family publicly address the split for the first time.
Sue Radford confirms daughter Sophie’s split from husband
“Sadly, a lot of marriages do break down, and you can’t fix them,” Sue told The Mirror.
“They [Sophie and Joe] aren’t together anymore, but they are making it work with their three children.”
Fans had speculated about the couple’s status after Sophie listed herself as “single” on Instagram in May. However, this marks the first time Sue and her husband Noel have officially confirmed the separation.
Sophie married Joe in 2015. The couple share three children, Daisy, Ayprill and Leo.
“We are really proud of Sophie for sharing this on camera,” Sue continued. “She wanted to speak openly about how she was feeling then, and how she’s feeling now.”
The upcoming episode will offer a personal look at how the family is supporting Sophie as she transitions into life as a single mother.
Sue and Noel said they began to notice cracks in the relationship during a family trip to Orlando, Florida, last April, where they celebrated Sue’s 50th birthday.
“We realised it had been brewing for a while,” Sue admitted. She added that Sophie had reached a point where she “couldn’t live like that anymore.”
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The Radfords
Despite the separation, Sue revealed that Joe has remained an active co-parent and continues to be involved in their children’s lives.
Sue shared that he spent Christmas with them and still visits after school to help out. She described him as “very hands-on.”
Sophie, now adjusting to life as a single mother, isn’t focused on dating.
“She’s in no rush,” Sue said, noting that her daughter is currently settling into a new routine with her children.
When asked whether they’d like Sophie to find love again, Noel responded with a smile that they’d be happy for her when the time is right.
The Radfords live in Morecambe, Lancashire. They are known as Britain’s biggest family, with 22 children ranging from five to 36 years old. Sophie, 32, is the second eldest, after Chris, 36.
Alongside raising their large family, Sue and Noel have built a successful pie business and television brand.
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