Janey Godley sadly passed away earlier this month after a courageous battle with cancer, and today the Scots comedian is being laid to rest. In November 2021, Janey announced that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer after doctors found a tumour on her ovary.
After undergoing a hysterectomy, she also underwent chemotherapy and, at the time, shared a poignant image of her husband shaving off her long curly locks before ‘chemo took it from her’. After successfully finishing the treatment, she was given the all-clear, however, she faced a setback when further scans indicated the return of the disease within her abdomen.
Despite this devastating news, she continued to work and performed dates across the country in towns and cities as part of her Not Dead Yet tour. However, in September 2024, she had to cancel her Why Is She Still Here? tour after contracting sepsis.
Then a week later, Janey told her followers that she was receiving “end-of-life” care after her cancer spread and that she would be moving into a hospice.
On November 2, Janey passed away in her sleep surrounded by her loved ones, with her daughter Ashley Storrie announcing the news.
We take a look back on Janey’s achievements in her life…
Author
Throughout her colourful career, Janey penned three books.
In 2005, Janey penned ‘Handstands In The Dark’ a book all about her life being brought up in the east end of Glasgow and her story of sexual abuse by her uncle. In the book, Janey opened up about having to cope with the murder of her mother, violence, religious sectarianism, abject poverty and a frightening family of in-laws.
In 2020, the comedian then brought out another book named ‘Frank! Get The Door’, which was a combination of all of her lockdown sketches. In 2023, she published her first fiction novel Nothing Left Unsaid which was written before her own cancer diagnosis late last year.
Nothing Left Unsaid is set in Glasgow between 1976 and 2019 with a woman, Senga, asking her family to see her in hospital as she reaches the end of a battle with cancer.
Going viral
The Coronavirus pandemic was a tough time for many, but Janey tried to keep spirits high with her voiceover videos on the then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s daily briefings.
The videos became so popular that Janey and the former First Minister even went on to collaborate on a sketch in aide of the STV Children’s Appeal and became friends.
Award winner
In 2006, Janey was nominated and was close runner-up for the annual Scotswoman of the Year title as ‘the most inspirational woman in Scotland’. She then went on to scoop the ‘Spirit of The Festival Award’ at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival.
Janey became a regular five-star performer at the Edinburgh Fringe, in 2008 she won the Fringe Report Award as ‘Best Performer’ and two Nivea Funny Women Fringe Awards – as ‘Best Stand-Up’ and overall, for ‘Best Show’ as ‘one of the most prolific and extraordinary stand-up comedians working in the UK’.
In 2009, the New Zealand Comedy Guild nominated Janey as ‘Best International Guest’ after also nominating her in 2002, 2006 and 2008. In 2012, Janey’s live Twitter description of a couple’s rapidly-deteriorating relationship on a train became a viral sensation.
At the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2012, she staged a five-star-winning one-off play #TimAndFreya based on the incident. In 2014, her weekly podcast was shortlisted in the comedy category of the 9th annual People’s Choice Podcast Awards in the US.
During the coronavirus pandemic Janey went viral once again for her Nicola Sturgeon voice overs which also won the ‘Best Online Content’ at the Scottish Comedy Awards.
In 2023, Sir Billy Connolly hailed Janey as a “great comedian” as he announced her as the winner of the inaugural Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award, which was an honour as Janey said Sir Billy was ‘her hero’.
She was presented with the award at the 2023 Glasgow International Comedy Festival, just minutes after she closed the show at the official Closing Gala at the King’s Theatre in the city.
Fundraising efforts
After her diagnosis, Janey wanted to make a difference to people undergoing cancer treatment and began raising money for Beatson Cancer Charity by arranging Soup Pot Tours and raised over £42,000. She tweeted that the tickets alone raised £39,037.58 with a collection raising an extra £2693.95 and Merchandise raising £1211.85.
Janey told her followers: “You all raised £42 GRAND for @Beatson_Charity I want to thank everyone who performed, attended, bought my Beatson merch from my site & filled @Beatson_Charity buckets at The Kings Theatre shows back in March -We raised £42,943.38. Thanks @GlasgowComedy My agent @ChrisDavisMg.”
Dr Janey Godley
In her final days, Janey received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Glasgow.
Posting from Janey’s account, Ashley Storrie gushed over how ‘immensely proud’ she is of the terminally ill Scots comedian who was seen holding up her degree from her hospice bed.
BBC Radio Scotland host Ashley, 38, captioned the post: “Thank you @uofglasgow for bestowing upon my mum the honorary degree of doctor of the University of Glasgow.
“This has brought her so much joy in the final beats of her life. Janey is so honoured, and I am so immensely proud of her. I am always proud of her. Congratulations Doctor Godley.
“Thank you for all your kindness and support to our family in this very difficult time,@ashleystorrie“.
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletterhere.