Entertainment
Janey Godley cancels tour amid treatment for cancer
Scottish comedian Janey Godley has cancelled her upcoming tour amid ongoing treatment for terminal ovarian cancer.
The 63-year-old revealed she is currently in hospital being treated for sepsis, which is now “under control”.
The comedian, from Glasgow, told fans in a video posted to social media that her “cancer is spreading” so doctors have advised her “not to work” as part of efforts to help her recuperate.
Award-winning Godley was due to embark on UK tour of Why Is She Still Here? this autumn.
In a statement on Wednesday, her team said: “Janey has been living with stage four ovarian cancer for the past few years and the treatment from the wonderful Scottish NHS has kept the disease at bay, but sadly in the last few weeks the cancer has returned and there have been a few added complications.
“Her doctors have now advised her that she must stop work for the foreseeable future.
“Janey is devastated to let down her thousands of loyal fans, and the wonderful venues she has played many times over the years.
“She would like to thank everyone for their love and support at this difficult time.”
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Godley, who found viral fame with her dubbed pastiches of Nicola Sturgeon’s COVID news briefings during the pandemic, revealed she had ovarian cancer in November 2021.
In the same year she faced controversy after offensive tweets by her came to light following an investigation by the Daily Beast website. The Scottish government coronavirus adverts she featured in were pulled as a result.
Godley profusely apologised for the tweets and donated the £12,000 fee she was paid to charity.
Read more from Sky News:
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs abuse allegations: A timeline of key events
The Last Dinner Party, Fern Brady and Melvyn Bragg win at Sky Arts Awards
In 2022 she was given the all-clear for her cancer and said in a post to X that a scan showed “no evidence of disease”.
However, she later announced that another scan had shown signs of the disease in her abdomen but added that she would continue with her tour in February and March 2023.
Godley told ITV’s Lorraine that fellow comedian Jimmy Carr played a key role in convincing her to continue her tour despite her diagnosis.
She said: “I decided to cancel the tour, and my mate Jimmy Carr said, ‘is your mouth not working?’. I went, ‘yeah, my mouth works’ and he said, ‘well get back on tour.'”
In a video last year, Godley said she had received scan results that showed the treatment she was on was keeping her terminal and incurable ovarian cancer “at bay”.
Earlier in the year, Godley performed dates across the country in towns and cities including Bristol, Epsom, Norwich and Milton Keynes.