Farewell procession for Janey Godley marks “final tour”

The hearse carrying Scottish comedian Janey Godley traversed Edinburgh as part of her “final tour.” The Glaswegian passed away on November 2 at the age of 63, following a battle with ovarian cancer that spanned several years. Thousands of the comedian’s admirers, widely recognized for her viral dubbed videos featuring Nicola Sturgeon, gathered on the Royal Mile. They threw roses at the vehicle while her daughter, Ashley Storrie, walked behind it. The hearse is scheduled to proceed to Glasgow for the funeral service at St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday. Ms. Godley first disclosed her ovarian cancer diagnosis in November 2021. Although she was declared cancer-free in 2022, a subsequent scan detected indications of the disease in her abdomen. In September, she announced that she was receiving end-of-life care due to the spread of the illness. Individuals attending the procession conveyed to BBC Scotland News their desire to honor an “amazing woman.” Dawn Armitage, 52, from Edinburgh, stated: “I came because she was an amazing woman and it’s just so sad. She was a great comedian and what she did through the Covid lockdown was amazing and kept our spirits up. Her voiceovers on TikTok were incredible. She was just brilliant. I came to pay my respects and I feel very sad. She was so brave and her end of life interview was heart-breaking but she was up front about it.” At one point, the hearse, adorned with her catchphrase “Frank get the door,” paused for 10 minutes outside St Giles’ Cathedral. A choir performed during this time, with the crowd applauding after each song. Sarah Paterson, 56, also from Edinburgh, expressed feeling “quite emotional” witnessing the large turnout. She added: “To hear all the clapping reverberate around the Royal Mile must have been a comfort for her family. She was very loved here in Scotland.” Kate Crichton, 70, from Edinburgh, commented: “I came because I think Janey Godley was a fabulous comedian. I think the posts she did about Nicola Sturgeon helped encourage people to listen to the Covid briefings. I thought they were excellent and very funny. My mum died from ovarian cancer so it felt personal and I wanted to come here to pay my respects.” Born in Glasgow’s east end in 1961, Godley initially worked as a pub landlady before establishing her career on the comedy circuit. She gained international recognition for 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. Her satirical voice-overs of the then-first minister became widely popular on social media throughout the coronavirus pandemic. She was also the recipient of the inaugural Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. Her daughter, Ashley, followed in her mother’s footsteps into comedy and featured in the BBC Three comedy Dinosaur. After receiving a BAFTA Scotland award earlier in November, Ashley dedicated her achievement to her mother.