Sue and Noel Radford, stars of Channel 5's 22 Kids and Counting, have defended their son Josh after cruel social media users told him to 'just get a job'. Josh suffers from debilitating anxiety and agoraphobia, a diagnosis that sent shockwaves through the family.
The couple issued an emotional statement on Instagram in response to the comments, explaining that Josh's condition has been severely misunderstood. At one point, Josh feared he was going blind, and after being rushed to specialists, his GP attributed the symptoms to an anxiety disorder.
In their statement, Sue and Noel wrote: "We've seen a few comments like this telling Josh to 'just get a job'. These comments are really not helpful and there's been a few. I don't think these sad few people realise just how debilitating anxiety and agoraphobia is, and I tell you what, Josh would absolutely love to be in a place where he felt he was able to go to work but for now it's little steps in the right direction, like going to the gym the other day."
They added: "We're incredibly proud of the steps he's taking. Progress looks different for everyone and kindness matters. Please think before you comment, you never know what someone is facing behind the scenes and Josh reads the comments."
Fans soon rallied to support the family, with one commenting: "My son has exactly the same, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Shame on these people saying those things, big hugs to you all." Another wrote: "It's not a choice. We are beyond proud of Josh, he's a fabulous individual."
