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Janey Godley passed away on 2nd November 2024 at 63 after she succumbed to Ovarian Cancer.
Janey Godley’s death brought to the closure a very dynamic career which she had dedicated to comedy for many years causing a popular impact in the comedy sectors majoring in Scotland.
Janey Godley gained more recognition during the Covid-19 period due to her voice-over impersonation of then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s briefings.
In the days before her funeral, Janey Godley’s coffin began a two-day “final tour” through Edinburgh and Glasgow, cities important to her life.
High streets such as the Royal Mile and Lawnmarket in Edinburg were filled with her fans as the hearse moved past.
Fans tipped flowers to the car transporting the hearse and were placards with slogans associated with Godley, hailing the dead comedian and the change she brought to the industry.
The funeral service took place on Saturday, November 30 at St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow.
People were encouraged to wear colorful clothes instead of the usual black clothes during mourning, and as a result of this, they are signifying Joyful Murray Godley spirit and the joy she wanted in saying GOODBYE.
This service attracted many people, relatives, friends, and fans and even politicians such as the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the sitcom Gavin Mitchell Still game.
The Very Reverend Kelvin Holdsworth began the service by highlighting kindness and forgiveness, noting that Godley would be cherished with love.
He recognized her exceptional gift for connecting with others through humor, especially in tough times.
A prayer composed by Janey Godley in her youth was recited during the ceremony, emphasizing her enduring bond with faith and community.
Godley’s daughter, also named Ashley. She said she jokingly told the host that while she was supposed to ‘headline’ her mother’s funeral, she would refrain from telling jokes as it was a funeral service.
Going back to the biographical sketch to review life events and milestones, Storrie rues that her mum was a comedian who freely engaged issues of significance.
As she challenges the audience to make the last round applause for her mother, the crowd cheers to her.
At the end of the service, the loudspeaker played Godley’s line, ‘Frank, get the door’ before the doors of the church opened.
This catchphrase rose to fame during the pandemic parody shows and pointed to her comedic impact.
Janey Godley was diagnosed with cancer in November 2021 when she made the revelation on social media. Though she was cleared of cancer in 2022 later scans revealed the re-emergence of the disease in the same year.
Nevertheless, she performed and even arranged a tour called ‘Not Dead Yet’ which also had to be pulled off due to medical reasons.
Comedy was always incorporated into Godley’s work, though it indeed was used to convey important messages regarding numerous topics including mental disorders and diseases.
Another precondition for her success was the ability to make people laugh during the discussion of complex issues; this shifted easily to engaging with people during the commonly shared experience of pandemic isolation.
For her contribution to comedy and culture, Godley was awarded honors through out her working career.
She was given the first Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival in 2023. Her work was entertaining as well as comforting and there is nothing like having people come together to laugh during dark times.
In her final tour the amount of love and respect that she received from the fans showed the fans what Godley had helped develop in her.
This was contributed by some attendee who spoke expressing how the comedian had been able to make people laugh during the lockdown periods, and that was a reason enough to celebrate her.
Janey Godley enlightened society and people, what she was doing throughout her lifetime as a comedian and an activist.
Being good at filling the comic factor in her content, she created herself a niche in Scotland’s entertainment.
While fans will carry on paying posthumous respect to Godley and erecting tributes to her, her soul will no doubt have the effect of inspiring future generations of generations of comedic talents and audience.
