Sue Radford has confirmed that her eldest daughter Sophie's marriage to Joe Bradley has come to an end after a decade together.
The 50-year-old mother of 22 revealed the news ahead of the family's Channel 5 programme returning this weekend.
"Sadly, a lot of marriages do break down, and you can't fix them," Sue told the Mirror. "They aren't together anymore, but they are making it work with their three children."
Sophie, 32, had sparked speculation about her relationship status when she described herself as "single" on Instagram last May, though the family declined to address the rumours at the time.
Sue Radford shared the news ahead of the new 22 Kids and Counting series
| CHANNEL 5This marks the first occasion that Sue, her husband Noel, 51, and Sophie have publicly acknowledged the separation.
The couple from Morecambe, Lancashire, first became aware that something was wrong during a family trip to Orlando, Florida, to celebrate Sue's milestone birthday last April.
Sue explained that the difficulties had been building for some time before that holiday.
"Sophie couldn't live like that anymore," she said. "She is definitely a lot happier now."
Sophie Radford has split up with her husband
| Channel 5The revelation will feature prominently in Sunday's episode of 22 Kids and Counting, which airs on Channel 5 at 8pm.
A preview clip released by the broadcaster showed Noel rushing to support his daughter during this challenging period, with Sue describing it as "one of the most worrying times" for the family.
The footage also revealed that the parents had gone two days without hearing from Sophie at one point, causing significant concern.
Despite the marriage ending, Joe has maintained a close relationship with his children and remains on good terms with the Radford family.
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22 Kids and Counting's Sue Radford issued a candid update about her eldest daughter
| Channel 5Sue revealed that her former son-in-law joined them for Christmas celebrations alongside Sophie and the youngsters.
"Joe will go around after school to help with the kids after he finishes work," she added. "He is very hands-on, which is nice."
Noel, who runs a pie business with Sue, expressed his continued affection for Joe.
"We've known Joe for a long time, and we want him to be happy as well," he said.
Sue expressed pride in her daughter's decision to share her experience publicly through the television programme.
"She wanted to share how she was feeling and how she is feeling now," the mother-of-22 explained.
When asked whether they hoped Sophie might find romance again in the future, Noel was enthusiastic but measured in his response.
"Yes, definitely," he replied. "But when she is ready. She is in no rush, and she is getting herself into a routine being a single mum."
The new series of 22 Kids and Counting begins on Channel 5 this Sunday at 8pm, with Sophie's story forming a central part of the opening episode.