Original subtitles

SALLY LINDSAY: 'Meet Britain's biggest family.

- '22 kids.' - Aww, look.

- 'Ten grandkids.' - She's perfect.

- 'Seven dogs.' - Oh!

'All growing up fast.'

Whoo!

'And the bigger the kids, the bigger the problems.'

It's horrible for me, that situation.

- I'm just not - BLEEP - happy.

'From relationship crises...'

She is a bit of a hothead, and she stresses out quite a bit.

I'm facing life as a single mum.

The worst thing he could is cheat.

- Who's that? - She's got trust issues.

'..to runaway children.'

Look at this headline.

Oh, my God. Is that her?

'The family face pregnancy panics.'

Her baby's heart rate has shot up.

My God.

'And fame brings trespasser trouble...'

When it's your house, it's just not OK.

'..leading to life-changing decisions.'

- That is stunning! - Oh, we've bought a house.

'But whatever life throws at them, the Radfords are there

- 'for family and friends...' - What's happened?

Cancer's back.

We'd travel to the ends of the Earth to save her.

'..however big the problem.

'This time, Tillie needs a major operation.

You can see there's a difference of three and a half centimetres.

Hi, I'm just ringing about my daughter.

'But will school bullying put her off?'

Every day, kids say, "Why do you limp? Why do you wear odd shoes?"

It's really hard to convince myself that I want the operation.

What kid should have to suffer bullying just because they've got

a disability of some kind?

Heidie, you are Daisy's auntie.

'A family tree produces unusual results.'

Heidie's my auntie. Yeah, but she's younger than me.

'That gives Sue a novel idea.'

When Sue said she's got plans to write a book,

I thought she must be bonkers.

It's here!

Whoo!

'But will publication day elation...'

Noel, it's us. Very proud moment.

'..turn into a book-signing flop?'

Four.

That is not the queue there. That is not the queue.

'Every family has growing pains...

'..and the Radfords have had more than many.'

The most noticeable growing pain we've ever had

is when we tried to expand the business to another shop in Kendal.

- Yeah. - And it just went... - Rapidly downhill fast, didn't it?

Yeah. But it's something that makes you bigger and stronger,

and, you know, it's what you learn from, isn't it?

You know, we all make mistakes, and that's where we learn from.

You learn from 'em, don't you?

'But no-one in the family has had a trickier time

'than 14-year-old Tillie.'

So, the background to Tillie's leg, probably when she was about five,

she was stood in front of me, I thought, oh.

There was a bone that looked like it was sticking out.

Straight to the doctor's, and the doctor looked at it,

"That definitely doesn't look right".

There was a problem with that bone.

'The cause was traced back to an infection in her leg.'

It obviously has damaged the growth plate for her femur.

So, they don't know if that bone will now stop growing.

We just have to hope that it doesn't, and it's all right.

An absolute nightmare.

If we didn't do anything about it, this one would just keep growing

and growing, and it'd be eventually sticking out here somewhere.

Here we go, Tillie.

'Tillie had an operation, and for nine months afterwards

'had to wear a mechanical device to stretch her leg.'

The look on Tillie's face. She just looked so down and upset,

and that's not what you want for your kids, is it?

You're doing all right. No rush.

- I bet a snail would go as fast as me. - Well, maybe.

'But even after it was removed, it left her with scars.'

'Even now, four years on from her surgery,

'Tillie's leg troubles are still not behind her.'

My leg isn't growing, and I'm very lop-sided.

If I don't go on my tip toe, then I go like this.

One leg will be shorter than the other one,

and it's really uncomfortable to walk on.

I'll walk around for a few minutes, and then I'll instantly have

a lot of pain in like, my ankle, and then my hip.

'And it seems to be getting worse.'

We've noticed a massive change in her limp,

especially if she stands in front of you.

You've got the hips, and there's a big difference in the two sides.

She walks on her tiptoes on one foot.

On my first operation with the cage on my leg,

it was very painful.

Trying to walk on it, I just couldn't do it

because the pain was unbearable.

I told my dad I really hated the look of looking at it.

I wasn't happy.

'Tillie's short leg can likely be lengthened,

'but it would involve further surgery...

'..and that is an issue for her.'

Well, the last time we met the consultant,

Tillie was just, "No, I don't want another operation."

She was happy just to have an orthopaedic shoe,

carry on with life like that, but I don't think

Tillie realises she'll get the hip problems later on in life.

'Noel and Sue are concerned

'that if Tillie doesn't have the operation now,

'she will be storing up hip and knee issues for when she's older.'

I mean, he did explain to you why it would be more positive

- to have it done... - Mm. - ..when you're older.

- Just the health issues it'll bring you if you don't have it done. - Yeah.

- You know, it's your leg. - Mm. - I think you're old enough now to decide.

Like when I first got that surgery, I came out of it,

and I was just... never wanted to look at it.

- The whole frame? - How it all looked, yeah.

I do remember you wouldn't take the bed covers off,

because you didn't want anyone to see it.

- It was a lot bigger than what you thought. - Yeah.

- It was quite traumatising, wasn't it, to see? - Mm.

'Tillie is worried that another operation means many months

'with another cage around her leg.'

I've got to think about what kids would say as well, every day.

Some kids say, "Why do you limp? Why do you wear odd shoes?"

They'll find any way to talk about it.

It's just not right, is it?

- That's bullying. - I just really don't know

if I can go through that again, like that whole thing.

What kid should have to suffer bullying

just because they've got a disability of some kind?

It's quite sick, isn't it?

'The bullying has made Tillie reluctant to have the operation.'

Come on.

'But the problem with her leg is getting worse.'

Before she had the operation the first time,

it was maybe half an inch.

I would say now it's getting on towards two inches' difference.

So it's massive.

So, yeah, she's got to have it done.

'Coming up... Tillie's problems get worse.'

- Hi, Soph, are you all right? - 'But can sister Sophie help?'

I was bullied quite badly in school.

Don't let it affect you the way that it did me.

Oh, my gosh.

'And Sue's massive family sparks an idea.'

I've come to realise that actually it's an amazing story,

and I feel that it should be shared.

'It's 3:30.'

SCHOOL BELL

'School's out,

'and the troops are returning home.'

In this house, we're not walking to school with you.

Oh, hang on.

Home time in this house, it is absolute chaos.

It's drinks, snacks.

'But before play time, the homework's got to be done.

'But Sue doesn't believe she's much help.'

I'm definitely not strong with academic stuff.

If the kids have got, like,

an algebra question and stuff like that,

it's like... Way over our heads.

'Today's after-school club is bolstered by three additions.

'Grandkids Leo, April, and homework-heavy Daisy.'

What sort of project?

'Sue may not have belief in her maths ability,

'but surely family history is right up her street.'

Well, that'll be interesting. I'll come and help you.

'Most family trees could be sketched out without too much trouble.'

OK. Right.

'The Radfords', however, might be a bit more tricky.'

If any of your friends are doing a family tree like this,

they'll probably only have, like, three siblings,

and it wouldn't be anywhere near like as big, would it?

'The family tree starts with the most important branch.'

So, we're going to put me and Grandpops,

and then 22 kids.

- Chris... - Sophie, Chloe. - Jack.

'A shedload of kids later, and we're on to the grandkids.'

Daisy, April and Leo.

'Lots of names.

'But does Daisy know who connects who?'

So what is Mila to you?

Niece?

No.

'If it's confusing now, Daisy, it's only going to get worse.'

Maybe 50 grandkids in another 30 year.

- Jeez, how many great grandkids? - There'll be lots.

There'll probably be hundreds.

'The complexity of such a large family...'

This is where it gets complicated.

Really confusing now, isn't it?

'..can lead to some unusual results.'

Heidie, do you know, you are Daisy's auntie?

Heidie's my auntie. Yeah, but she's younger than me.

- Oh, I'd never thought about that actually. - Oh, that's really weird.

So, really, Daisy should call you "Auntie Heidie".

Wait, how does it work?

'When Heidie was born, Daisy was already seven years old.

'But Daisy's mum Sophie is also Heidie's sister,

'which means that technically at least,

'Daisy should be calling her "Auntie Heidie".'

I know. It's very confusing, isn't it?

You wouldn't normally have an auntie or an uncle

- that was younger than you, would you? - Can I call you Auntie Heidie?

- No! - What?!

'So, what has everybody learnt about their family tree?'

Are you better understanding of your family?

- Yeah. - Are you? - No.

Bonnie, how are you related to Daisy?

My family is very complicated, and I can't name any of them.

'The realisation of the scale of the family's ignorance has shocked Sue.'

Blimey. I worry about that,

because if down the generations, they don't keep up

- with how it all came about and things, then... - Oh, right, yeah.

..it could get lost in those years, couldn't it?

- What, in, like, a few generations down? - Mm.

- Yeah, I suppose. - I think I need to document it,

preserve our family story once and for all.

'Daytime on a school day is as quiet as the house ever gets.'

DOG YAPPING

All right, Josh.

'It's just after lunch time...

'..and there's an unexpected arrival.'

- Who was that? - Tillie.

And what's she doing home now?

'Tillie should be at school,

'but not for the first time, she's come home early.'

One time, she ended up ringing us, did Tillie, didn't she?

- Yeah. - And in floods of tears, like,

so hysterical that she could hardly even get her words out.

That was probably the third time...

- At least I would say, yeah. - ..this year.

I've come home early,

kids have said something really, really bad that made me come home.

Because I couldn't get through the day with dealing with all of that.

- Can you remember the things they said? - Yeah.

One of the kids said, "If I chuck this pencil at your head,

"will it put a hole in your head?

"Oh, never mind, you've already got holes in your leg."

And that one... sounds stupid, but it really made me upset.

They don't really know what affect it could have on you

and how deep they can go.

I don't like the look of my leg. I don't like talking about it.

I can hardly look at it.

'Tillie could have an operation

'that would in time lengthen her shorter leg.

'But she's concerned about the frame that would be fitted,

'leading to more bullying.'

I just don't want a repeat of how that was.

Like, not wanting to look at my leg,

not wanting what goes on in school to keep going on.

It's really hard to try and convince myself that I want the operation.

- Tillie, she's not looking at the bigger picture down the line. - No.

You know, when she's in her 30s, 40s, whatever,

the problems that it will cause,

if she doesn't have an operation, that's the thing.

Hi, I'm just ringing about my daughter, Tillie.

- 'Whilst Noel rings the school...' - Hi, Soph, are you all right?

'..Sue makes a different call.'

I could really do with a favour if you've got time.

'With Tillie still upset, it's time for some big sisterly advice.'

I think it would help if Tillie maybe spoke to Sophie.

She's had similar sort of issues, you know,

obviously not with the scarred leg and everything,

but any advice that they can offer and how to deal with things.

'When this young girl's down, there's only one type of therapy

'that's sure to work. Retail.'

I'm doing a bit of shopping today,

because we need to get something nice and get you feeling nice.

- That's quite nice. - That is nice actually, yeah.

It's quite difficult when things get on top of you.

You end up getting yourself in a little bit of a rut.

Yeah, I wanted to get Tillie out with big sis,

a bit of a change of scenery.

Oh, no. They're cardigans. That's mum's kind of thing.

- What about something like that? - Yeah.

I think that'd look really nice. So, let's have a look.

Yeah?

'Whilst Tillie's loving the trousers and tops...'

- I quite like that set, though. - It's not my kind of thing, that.

'..she's not so keen on the shorts and skirts.'

No, I wouldn't wear them. Like, that type of shorts.

Three-quarter leggings or anything like that, no?

- Nah. - No? - Nah.

She's sort of into clothes that, like, fully cover you up,

quite dark clothing. Not really into her colours

or anything like that.

Yeah.

I've noticed while we were shopping

that you're not quite into your skirts, your dresses,

shorts, any more.

Since I got into secondary school,

I don't really like wearing skirts.

I've got so many skirts in, like, my wardrobe,

but I just never really wear them,

and when I do, it's always in the house.

I never go out in them.

- Is it because of people in school, then? - Yeah.

It's important to tell Tillie my experience of being bullied

and my regrets on how I should have handled it back then.

I was bullied quite badly in school.

I remember waking up and crying to Mum,

saying that I'm not going to school,

and I didn't actually sit my GCSEs because of it.

So I actually left school with no GCSEs whatsoever,

and now with a job that I'm wanting to get,

which would change my life, I can't actually get,

because I left school early because of being bullied.

So, what I'm trying to say to you

is don't let it affect you the way that it did me,

because that has not only held me back in school,

but it's held me back on progressing in my future as well.

- Do you know how I want to be an ice skater? - Yeah.

That's something I really want to do,

but obviously it's kind of hard to actually do,

because of like the looks I'll get, or what people will say.

Just keep doing you.

If you really want something,

you will do anything to make that happen.

So...

By you going through this operation,

you could potentially become an ice skater when you're older.

- Yeah. - Because it does get in the way, being bullied,

and sometimes, that's all you focus on, that's all you worry about.

And don't let anything hold you back, just focus on your future.

- Yeah. - Mm. Aww, thank you so much.

Thank you.

- Remember that. - Yeah.

It makes me quite sad, actually,

that she feels like she can't do her dreams because of the bullies

and how she feels about herself.

You know, she's gone through a lot,

and she's been so brave to get those scars.

She's a very special person, and she's absolutely perfect as she is.

So, I think she just really needs to realise that,

and it'd be good for her to see what we all see.

I'm hoping that's going to gradually come.

It's just one step at a time, I suppose, isn't it?

Oh, my gosh!

"Miss Watson of Cambridge gave birth to 25 children,

"including three sets of twins, during the period 1904 to 1931."

'Three days on from helping with Daisy's family tree homework,

'Sue is doing some research of her own.'

"Miss McNaught, born 1923, gave birth to 22 children."

'She's looking into other large families born in Britain.'

Oh, my goodness.

'And what she's found has surprised her.'

No-one in this country has had 22 children or more in nearly 75 years.

It does make you realise that we are unique as a family.

'All the more reason, then, to make sure future generations

'have the knowledge of their own mega family.'

I really want to give the future Radfords

something that makes them know who we were.

Document memories of mine, Noel's mum and dad, family.

It is a bit funny, isn't it?

Kids are learning history at school, and yet we are...

- Living history. - ..living history, aren't we?

A massive family.

'And Sue intends to make the most of it.'

I've come to realise that actually it's an amazing story,

and I feel that it should be shared.

- So, what are you going to do? - We're going to write a book.

'Coming up...'

It's a million-dollar question...

'..Tillie has a decision to make.'

She's thinking, "If I have the operation,

"then I may get more bullying because of the way I look."

'And there's trouble writing the book.'

I think the midwife thought that my waters had gone,

and she was like, "You can start pushing."

The water's just exploded all in the midwife's face.

How am I supposed to get a book written with you guys on my knee?

'Sue's wish that the future generations of the Radfords

'know all about their story has taken a twist.'

When Sue said she's got plans to write a book,

I thought she must be bonkers.

What's there to read about?

Moving to Morecambe. Is that interesting?

Losing the business. I mean, where do you even start?

I know what I want to put in the book,

but I don't think I will be able to write a book myself.

Would anybody even be interested in that, though?

I think that's why we decided to use a ghost writer.

'Sue's invited an experienced journalist to give his view

'on whether this was a story he wants to be involved in.'

So, Paddy is the ghost writer of our book.

'Or so you hope.'

I'm really hoping that he's going to turn this

into a book that people will absolutely love reading,

and they won't want to put the book down.

Hello, Sue. How are you doing?

Right.

We're just taking you back from the very start.

So this will get everything in perspective

for the reader of the book.

'There aren't many sessions with Paddy,

'so they need to get to the good stuff, and fast!'

If you could take me through, "Remember when so-and-so

"was eight years old, and they did this, and they did that."

Or, "They came out with an amazingly funny thing when they were six."

Can you remember some of the things they said to you?

I can't remember.

No, it was that long ago.

No.

Righty-ho.

'Not a good start.'

Your mind just goes blank.

We did worry that Paddy might have turned round

and said something like, "I'm sorry, but you're just too boring."

'Faced with a blank notepad, Paddy goes for the jugular.'

Right. Delicate part.

You found out, "Oh, my God, I'm pregnant,"

and, Sue, we'll start with you, your first reaction.

From the word go, when we found out that we were pregnant,

we knew that we were gonna keep it, didn't we?

- Yeah. And try our best to fight our corner, didn't we? - Yeah.

We didn't want to be pressured into getting rid of him

- or having him adopted out or anything like that. So... - No.

- ..we were gonna fight, no matter what. - Yeah.

You know, when you're writing about your life,

it's definitely not all hearts and roses, is it?

- We were very lucky. - There's also the downsides

and the difficult times we have, but that's what makes us who we are

and makes our family what it is.

Because after we lost Alfie, I think we were quite...

we're not having any more.

It just felt like we just couldn't go through that again.

- Yeah. - And pregnancy for me after I'd had Alfie was just...

awful.

'Really, really emotional, talking about Alfie.'

But we kind of think that if Alfie's story

helps other people that are going through the same thing,

then we want to tell Alfie's story, don't we?

I think you kind of just realise

just how much you took it for granted

that you were gonna get to take a healthy baby home when...

in actual fact, so many... so many people just don't.

'Noel and Sue may have had doubts about

'how interesting their story is, but what does Paddy think?'

I think it's a fascinating story.

People all over the country

would be fascinated to know as much as they can

about the lives of a man and a woman who have had 22 kids.

Noel and Sue are a lovely, down-to-Earth couple.

So I think people would love

the book on Britain's biggest family.

It's just incredible.

'Well, that's good news.'

When we got the go-ahead that it was gonna happen,

that we were actually gonna be bringing a book out was...

Oh, we were elated, weren't we?

'It started off as a family tree,

'but in typical Radford fashion, it will now be a story

'that everyone can read.'

- Happy days. Right, well... - Brilliant. Enjoyed that.

Thanks again. See you now.

'It's 3am, but Tillie can't sleep.

'In the morning, she'll be heading to the hospital

'to make a big decision on her future.'

Obviously, she's worried.

I think she's just mulling it all over, isn't she?

She's got a decision to make, you know.

She's thinking, "If I have the operation,

"then I may get more bullying, because of the way I look.

"A frame on my leg, more scars."

And then she might be thinking, "Well, if I don't have it done,

"possibly in the future, I may have more health problems

"with my hips and my knees and things."

Like arthritis and things like that.

'Tillie's appointment is in Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool.

'So the journey allows for some last-minute deliberations.'

- So, in the meeting, Tillie... - Yeah?

..your options are, you put up with it the way it is...

- And have a built-up shoe for the rest of your life. - Yeah.

Mm.

Or you do go ahead with the operation, don't you?

What is it, the one thing that you don't want him to say?

I don't want him to say, like...

- there's nothing, like, other than the operation. - Yeah.

I don't want him to say that's the last option,

and there's nothing they can do after that.

Like, I don't want him to say that.

Tillie may be trying to put it off a little bit longer.

"I'll leave it this time, and then another six months, you know,

"I'll think about it then," which could cause her problems

where if she keeps doing that, it may come to the stage

where it's just too late to have an operation to make it better.

I feel, like, a bit nervous.

At the end of the day, it's Tillie's decision what happens now, you know.

- We feel like she's old enough to choose herself. - Mm.

- Hello. - Hi, guys.

Grab a seat, make yourselves comfortable.

- How have you been, Tillie? - I've been good.

You've grown a bit since I've last seen you.

Dr James looks after Tillie.

Right, so how is that leg behaving?

Is it the leg, the knee? So, at the top end, the bottom end?

So, round by the knee bit.

So, when I saw Tillie,

- we said that there was a difference between the leg lengths. - Mm.

But also the shape of the joint wasn't quite right.

So, I guess today would be to sort of try and finalise

if we were going to do anything.

Yeah. OK. Perfect.

'Dr James needs to examine Tillie

'to see if the difference

'between the lengths of her legs has narrowed.

'If it has, she may not need the operation.'

If you climb up for me. So, you're going to lie on your back.

Lie flat.

And just bend this leg a bit.

So, as you can see,

there's a difference of three and a half centimetres.

So the majority of the difference is between this segment here.

We want both legs to be even.

So, that's the final goal.

'It's not good news.'

OK, so lift that leg up.

'The gap has widened.'

You could see like the full extent of how short her leg actually was,

I didn't really realise it was that bad, did we?

No. When she stands in front of us,

you can see the hips are different.

But there's a massive difference.

Obviously, it's putting a lot of pressure on her body as well.

'It's too late now to do nothing.'

So, options are we try and get it to look the way it should be,

which is a bit involved.

- Right. - It would mean correcting this deformity here. OK.

- You had a frame on before, didn't you? - Yeah. - You had a frame on.

When I first got it, Dad asked me, "Do you want to see it?"

And I said immediately no.

When I had no choice but to see it,

I felt like I was gonna cry looking at it. I just hated it.

It's important to do it now,

because we minimise the risk of you getting arthritis.

So, the million-dollar question is...

Our hearts sunk when Tillie's sort of saying,

"I don't want to have it done."

'But Dr James has another idea.'

My suggestion would be that it's wide enough

that we can get one of the new internal lengthening nails.

As opposed to having something on the outside.

Right.

- It takes about five or six months. - Yeah.

- SUE: - But at least she's not gonna have the frame on the outside.

It's gonna be inside. That'll be much better.

- It is chalk and cheese. - Right, OK.

For the patient, the benefits are significantly better.

'It sounds good, but will that swing it for Tillie?'

- Yeah? - I think that'd work well, actually.

- Great. Thank you very much. - Perfect.

'Tillie's agreed.

'This could be the solution everyone has been looking for.'

Whereas her old operation had all the cage on the outside,

this would be the complete opposite,

where it's just a few bits of metal fixed underneath the skin,

to the bone, and it's all remotely operated by the app.

You've got to be, I think, of a certain age or your bones

have to be of a certain diameter, so they can actually fix this thing.

'The magic of science and technology all working together.'

The aim is to, like, have the operation,

then everything's just from there all slowly getting better.

'The operation will be months away,

'but Tillie has made a decision that potentially may change her life.'

- It'll be worth it in the end. - Mm.

'There are only six weeks to go until the publication

'of Noel and Sue's first-ever book.'

- Are you not going to sit down? - Noel's gonna walk out.

LAUGHTER

'And ghost writer Paddy is back with a final raft of questions.'

So, this is the chapter, Sue, which is called

"Sue, having 22 kids, what every woman wants to know

"but is afraid to ask."

Did your waters ever break when you were out and about?

- That was really funny, though, you've got to admit. - Well, yeah.

When I was having Millie, just laying on the bed,

and I think the midwife thought that my waters had gone,

and she was just like, "Yeah, you can start pushing now."

So I started pushing, the waters just exploded

all in the midwife's face.

She was absolutely covered.

I was laughing in absolute agony, pushing this baby out.

The midwife stood there absolutely dripping wet,

and this other midwife ended up coming in the door,

and she looked at her, "Oh, do you need to go and get changed?"

- She was like, "Mm". - We didn't see her again. - Didn't see her again.

PADDY LAUGHS

Somebody would like to know,

"Is your sex life today just the same as it ever was?"

- I think we prefer sleep now, don't we? - Yeah.

That's a great story, that.

'It's not just stories Paddy is here for.'

Yeah, these are all of Aimee.

'Choosing the photographs is a family affair...'

Oh, my gosh.

My dress on this picture.

'..and a reminder that the book began life

'as a means of chronicling the story for future generations.'

- Is that Ellie? - Yeah, that's Ellie.

I think it's really important that we've got the book.

Passing that down in generations is a great idea.

Just for, like, my kids' kids' kids' all to think,

"Wow, I've come from them, how amazing it is."

Look at me and Aimee there.

Look, that's cute!

- We've always got the same outfit on. - Look at that outfit.

I would remember, we would always go round to Asda with Mum,

"Aww, are these two twins?" No.

Oh, my God, there's going to be hundreds of Radfords.

Everyone's going to know the original family.

It was really nice the kids all coming together

and choosing the photos that they wanted to go in the book.

It was lovely that, wasn't it?

We got a whole blueprint of the whole family, haven't we?

- Yeah. - You know, how it's all come together and everything.

It's not just our story. It's their story as well.

Here we go. It's got to be you laughing.

'But it's not just about old family photos.

'The book needs a cover shot...'

Here you go. Smiling, guys.

'..which means getting the whole family together.

'As publication draws near, cracks are beginning to show.'

Seriously, though, is anyone interested in this?

All this minutiae about your pregnancies.

It's not exactly rock and roll.

'Belief, Noel. Belief!

'Tillie may have agreed to her operation,

'but now Noel and Sue want to see

'if she's ready to take another step forward.'

Bullying has definitely made Tillie body-conscious,

and it's also making her think that she can't fulfil her dream.

Not told you where we're going today,

but I've known for a long time you've wanted to go ice skating.

So I've actually managed to book you a private lesson.

We weren't sure how Tillie would react,

because I'm not sure how she would think,

if people are going to look at her leg, and just be staring at her.

'Tillie loves ice skating.'

I want to do figure skating when I'm older. That is my dream.

I really love how you can just jump and do spins

and just glide on the ice. It just looks really nice.

'But does she believe that she can do it herself?'

Oh, my. She's good.

I have a massive phobia of being embarrassed

when there's other people around.

There's a lot of days where I take a break from walking on my tiptoe,

and I was just walking and other people staring.

I get funny looks or whispering behind their hands about it,

and it's just... it does get me down,

because I think... I don't think I'm capable of anything.

Despite Tillie's disability,

we just want Tillie to get on the ice

and dance like an ice skater.

'Tillie's waited years to ice skate, and the moment has finally arrived.

- 'Giving Tillie her first lesson...' - Come on. Give me the hand,

come on, don't worry. Just step there.

- I don't know how to skate fully, though. - Step, step, step. Good.

- ..is coach Alexei. - OK.

Just walk, walk, walk, be careful, yes. Keep your arms, well done.

She was thinking as long as she can get around the ice on her own

on the skates, by the end of the session, she'll be happy with that.

Yeah, be careful, careful, careful. Don't worry, don't worry, OK.

We just want her to achieve what she wants to do, bad leg or not.

Come on, come on, come on, come on. Don't rush.

You're going to turn this way, yeah?

Careful.

If we come home today, and she's,

"It wasn't what I thought it was, Dad, I don't want to do it again,"

that's fair enough, but, you know, in life,

if she wants to try it, you've got to try it, haven't you?

'Believe in yourself, Tillie.'

- Are you going to try yourself? - Er, I don't know.

- 'If she can skate by herself...' - Come on.

'..Tillie's dream will have come true.'

Put both legs, yes, yes, yeah. Try to do. Just try to push.

The instructor's left her to try and skate on her own.

And she's actually doing it.

And she's got a smile on her face, so that says it all, doesn't it?

To see her do something like this, immensely proud of Tillie.

- Good. - Well done.

I'm dead proud of you, and you actually skated.

- I did. - Unassisted on your own.

Like, wow.

What was it like when you put your first foot on the ice?

- Wow. - Was it? - Yeah.

I put my feet on the ice, and I thought,

"I'm not going to be able to do this," and then I went...

- I think you did absolutely fantastic, so... - Thank you.

- ..well done to you. Do you want to come back? - Yeah.

- High five to that one. - Whoo!

I'm not gonna let my disability get in the way of what I want to do.

Once I'm on the ice, I think everything's just gone.

All my worries about my leg is just gone.

'Tillie's beating the bullies,

'and now she's the ice queen,

'with one eye on her future.'

All throughout, I just thought "This is what I want to do.

"This is exactly what I want to do when I'm older."

Well done. Good girl.

- 'Coming up...' - It's here!

- Ooh! - 'Sue's book is released!'

My kids' kids will have something to look back on

and know that my mum was a mum with 22 kids.

'A book signing is lined up.'

Well, it's just around that corner.

'But will anyone show up?'

- That is not the queue there. - BLEEP - Nora.

'It's Saturday, but not just any old Saturday.'

I'm really nervous excited.

This is the first time ever we're gonna see our book.

And I'm just trying to keep myself busy to pass time quickly.

'The book is released today, and their parcel will be arriving

'at any time.'

- Exciting! - Look out the window, Heidie, see if he's here.

Is he here? No?

'Sue may have faith in the book's success.

'Noel is not so certain.'

I think my biggest fear, in a couple of weeks' time,

you walk into Poundland or everywhere,

somewhere like that, and there's your book in the bin for a quid.

You'd just be so disheartened to see that.

Noel!

BARKING

It's here!

Ooh!

- Let's have a look! - Do you want to open it?

You open it, go on.

'Sue believed writing the book would inform future Radfords

'of the heritage of their unique family.'

- Oh! - Oh!

Oh, my word. Noel, it's us!

That is actually our book.

They smell nice as well.

- Bonnie, where's you? - None of our kids, I don't think,

are going to have a family the size of ours, are they?

- No. I don't think so. - Nobody's going to do that.

So it's just nice to... we can document how it is now,

living in this huge, chaotic, busy family.

Who's that?

- Josh. - Josh? That's me.

- Very proud moment. - There's one for you, Tillie.

'They have ordered 35 copies.

'One for each of the kids and for their kids' kids.'

Daisy.

I think it's good that my kids' kids will have something to look back on

and know that my mum was the mum of 22 kids.

So, I think it's something amazing to look at.

Right, Sue, come on. We'd better get going.

'Release day means that Noel and Sue have another engagement to attend.'

Can't believe that we've been asked to do book signings.

- I'm thinking, "Oh, my God." - Yeah. You're thinking,

- "Will anybody even turn up to do the book signings?" - Exactly that.

That was the thing.

- Four. - Might be more than four.

Maybe a dozen, 20 maybe?

Nah. Nah. Definitely not.

Hopefully, people will turn up.

I hope so. That'll be embarrassing.

'Two bacon rolls, five podcasts and 130 miles later,

'they're in Birmingham.'

For us, it's a bit crazy to think

that people want to come and meet us.

I find it really odd that it's just

little old Noel and Sue from Morecambe.

You know, we're just a normal family on a bigger scale.

But it's just around that corner,

there'll either be somebody or nobody.

- Feeling a bit nervous? - Bit nervous now, yeah.

'It's the big moment.'

Oh, where is it? Where is it?

HEARTBEAT POUNDING

That is not the queue there? That is not the queue.

- BLEEP - Nora. Oh, my God!

'The queue is huge!'

Oh, my word!

Didn't think anyone was going to be there.

- Hi! - Hello. All right?

Oh, no. Let us in!

'The hundreds who have come prepare to meet

'the mum and dad of Britain's biggest family.'

- Are you OK? - Yeah. - Are you not shattered?

Yeah. Yeah.

'I'm a huge fan of the Radfords.'

They're just a really lovely family and really down to Earth,

and you can really relate to them.

- Where have you come from? Aww. - Take care.

I tell you what we did get a few times was,

"Well, you're much smaller in real life, aren't you?"

I love how many kids they've got, and I think it's fantastic.

I'm adopted as well, so, I think it's wonderful.

- Of course you can, yeah. - What's one more?

We wouldn't even notice you, would we?

The book manager of the store did say

it's one of the busiest book signings for a long time.

'Hours and hundreds of signatures later, it's all over.'

Never written so much since I've left school.

Wow. That was so, so lovely, wasn't it?

It was amazing getting to meet everybody.

High five. Really lovely, isn't it?

There's a lot of lovely people out there

that like following our family.

"I handle pressure well."

Oh, that's a difficult one, that.

'With the book in the bag

'and Tillie prepped and ready for surgery,

'the last few months have left a few marks on the Radfords.'

Are you nominating yourself?

'But they wouldn't have it any other way.'

Every family's got a few scars and a few stretch marks here and there.

I nearly cut my finger off once in the bakery, you know.

Yeah, but you know what? I wouldn't change it for the world.

- Our scars remind us of who we are. - Yeah, I know,

but I don't want reminding of nearly cutting my finger off.

You always have to spoil it, don't you?

'Next time...'

Because she's our last, she'll always be the baby.

'Heidie leaves nursery, but is Sue ready for it?'

That'll be so weird, won't it?

You aren't actually going to have any of the kids at home.

- 'Noel is troubled...' - My dad doesn't seem his self.

'..by a meeting with his birth mother.'

'I don't think I realised how much emotion maybe was involved.'

'And a summer holiday ends with an explosive surprise.'