Scottish comedian Janey Godley dies aged 63

BBC Janey Godley looks into the camera smiling. She has long curly brown hair with a fringe and is wearing a black floral blouseBBC

Janey Godley had been receiving palliative care after being diagnosed with cancer

Scottish comedian Janey Godley has died at the age of 63.

She had been receiving palliative care after being diagnosed with cancer, which forced her to cancel her ‘Why Is She Still Here?’ tour in September.

Ms Godley, known for her viral dubbed videos of Nicola Sturgeon’s Covid briefings during the pandemic, revealed she had ovarian cancer in November 2021.

Her daughter Ashley Storrie said Ms Godley had died at about 07:00 and thanked her “found family” for their support “throughout these last horrible days”.

“I wanted to tell you face to face because it felt very much what she would have wanted,” she said. “She went peacefully and I want to say a big thank you to all the staff at the Price and Princess of Wales Hospice.

Mentioning a number of loved ones, she said: “Thank you so much for being there and for making a very, very scary moment peaceful and a nice transition.”

She then addressed Ms Godley’s followers, thanking them for their kindness and support.

“I believe in my heart of hearts that she felt every bit of love you sent to her,” she said. “I think it kept her going, genuinely we got her longer because of all the support and the love in the world.”

She finished her video with “Bye Ma”, adding: “Frank, get the door” – a reference to Ms Godley’s famed voice overs of Nicola Sturgeon.

Ashley Storrie posted a video on social media thanking followers for their kindness and support

Ms Godley’s manager Chris David said she would be “hugely missed by her family, friends and her many fans”.

He said: “She will be remembered for her legendary voiceovers of Nicola Sturgeon during the pandemic, her hilarious and outspoken comedy, but most of all for just being ‘Janey’.”

Ms Godley revealed she had ovarian cancer in November 2021.

She was given the all-clear in 2022 but a later scan discovered signs of the disease again.

Born in the east end of Glasgow in 1961, Godley was a pub landlady before establishing herself on the comedy circuit.

Ms Storrie, who followed her mother into comedy, is the star of BBC Three comedy Dinosaur and was recently nominated for a Bafta Scotland award for the show.

Getty Images Janey Godley with daughter Ashley Storrie in November 2019. Ashley stands side on leaning into her mother's shoulder, smiling - she wears a red velvet dress and has long dark curly hair. Godley is dressed in plaid with long curly brown hair and is holding a Bafta award - she has her mouth open in celebrationGetty Images

Janey Godley with daughter Ashley Storrie in November 2019, two years before her cancer diagnosis

Godley went viral in 2016 after she was pictured holding a placard with an offensive word at a protest against Donald Trump on his visit to Scotland.

Her profile was raised further when she voiced over videos of Nicola Sturgeon’s Scottish Covid briefings. She later became friends with the former first minister.

Godley has also been a regular co-presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends, as well as fronting BBC Radio 4 series The C Bomb.

In 2023 she was honoured at the inaugural Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

She received an honorary degree from the University of Glasgow from her hospice bed earlier this week.

‘She made the world a better place’

Posting on Instagram, Nicola Sturgeon said Ms Godley was a “true force of nature, and one of the funniest people I have ever known”.

She said: “I was able to visit her in the hospice a couple of weeks ago and though she was fragile, she still had me in stitches.

“Janey was also incredibly kind. And she made the world a better place.

“In the toughest of times, she made people laugh – and that was precious.”

PA Media Janey Godley and Nicola SturgeonPA Media

Janey Godley and Nicola Sturgeon became friends after she made comedy videos of the former first minister’s Covid briefings

First Minister John Swinney also paid tribute on X, writing: “Very sorry to hear of the death of Janey Godley.

“She brought joy and laughter on many occasions when we needed it most.”

Julia McKenzie, Radio 4 comedy commissioning editor, said Ms Godley was a “brilliant storyteller who embodied the stoic nature of Glasgow”.

She said: “Her stories were raw and truthful, both devastating and uplifting, very often in the same sentence; and all shot through with her sharp wit and ability to bring characters to life.”

Louise Thornton, head of commissioning at BBC Scotland, added that Ms Godley was a “much-loved contributor” to BBC programmes and had allowed cameras to follow her during her 2023 tour for the documentary Janey.

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