Comedian Janey Godley Honored with Vibrant Funeral Service in Glasgow

A vibrant and comedic farewell was held in Glasgow for comedian Janey Godley, attended by mourners including Scotland’s former first minister, Nicola Sturgeon. The service, conducted at St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow, featured numerous family members and friends dressed in colourful attire and concluded with her well-known catchphrase, “Frank, get the door”. The Scottish comedian passed away earlier this month at 63 years old, having undergone palliative care for ovarian cancer. Godley achieved widespread recognition through her viral voiceover parodies of Nicola Sturgeon’s news briefings during the Covid pandemic, subsequently forming a friendship with Sturgeon. Ashley Storrie, Godley’s daughter, addressed the attendees at the service, stating that she would refrain from performing any of her mother’s jokes given that she was in “a house of god”. Storrie, a 38-year-old comedian and radio presenter, remarked: “My mum was very much a daughter of Glasgow, she loved her city dearly, it was her favourite place in the whole wide world.” She continued: “The emblem of Glasgow is the tree that never grew, and the bell that never rang, and the bird that never flew, and the fish that never swam, and I think she took that as a challenge.” Storrie added: “It felt like the world was telling her, be quiet, stay small, don’t get big, so she did the opposite.” Storrie additionally expressed gratitude to the hundreds of mourners who lined Edinburgh’s streets on Friday to witness the hearse transporting Godley on her “final tour” prior to the funeral. This event coincided with a memorial service for former first minister Alex Salmond, held at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh. Sturgeon, whose friendship with Godley developed following Godley’s online videos, was present at the Glasgow service and commented that it “encapsulated Janey perfectly”. She further stated: “She was a special woman, she was so close to my heart. She’ll be a greatly missed.” Sturgeon observed: “A lot of tears in the church but also a lot of laughter, and that’s how she would want to be remembered – with joy and laughter.” Gavin Mitchell, known for his role as Bobby the Barman in the BBC Scotland sitcom Still Game, was also present among the mourners at St Mary’s Cathedral. The funeral concluded with a recording of Godley uttering, “Frank, get the door,” preceding the opening of the church doors. Godley employed this catchphrase to conclude each of her Nicola Sturgeon Covid parodies, and it also served as the title of her 2020 book. During the service, Rev Kelvin Holdsworth commended Godley’s pandemic comedy videos. He remarked: “It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s likely there are people alive today because of Janey Godley, because of funny wee videos, and because of the truth she told on stage.” Holdsworth elaborated: “She kept them going through lockdown, and because people were able to make use of the advice that they were being given through what she said.” Godley had previously stated that her “Frank” catchphrase originated from a man who read “cowboy books” at a pub where she was employed. Born in Glasgow’s east end in 1961, Godley worked as a landlady before embarking on her career in comedy. Her global recognition expanded due to her protest against Donald Trump’s visit to Scotland in 2016, during which she displayed a sign containing an offensive term directed at the then-president.