Janey Godley’s coffin to have ‘final tour’ ahead of funeral

The coffin of comedian Janey Godley will take a two-day “final tour” of Edinburgh and Glasgow ahead of her funeral on Saturday.

The Scottish comedian died earlier this month aged 63 after receiving palliative treatment for terminal cancer.

Her daughter, comedian Ashley Storrie, shared news of the journey on social media, saying the hearse would travel through her mother’s “beloved festival home” of Edinburgh on Friday before travelling “home to Glasgow“.

The funeral will take place at St Mary’s Cathedral in the West End on Saturday.

Godley, who found viral fame with her dubbed imitations of Nicola Sturgeon’s COVID-19 news briefings during the pandemic, revealed she had ovarian cancer in November 2021.

Despite her diagnosis in 2021, Godley returned to touring her Not Dead Yet gigs and was given the all-clear in 2022.

But later that year, Godley announced another scan had shown signs of the disease in her abdomen.

Never shying away from joking about the darker side of life, in 2023 she won the inaugural Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

Earlier this year, she cancelled her Why Is She Still Here autumn tour after her stage four ovarian cancer returned with what she said were added complications.

Godley died in the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow on 2 November, shortly after she had been awarded an honorary degree from the University Of Glasgow.

In the social media post, Ashley Storrie said: “Here’s the details of Janey’s final tour, thank you for all the love and kindness in this past week.

“For the past few years of Ma’s life, it was important to her that she shared her journey with everyone, to offer support for others on the same path and to highlight the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer – all of course in her very singular Janey style, with laughter and candour.

“So many of you who have travelled with us on this journey wish to bid her a final farewell, so here’s the details of my mum’s final tour, in the two cities she loved with all her heart.”

The hearse will travel along the Royal Mile and Lawnmarket in Edinburgh – with a “pause for reflection” at St Giles’ Cathedral before travelling along Cockburn Street, Market Street and on to Glasgow.

After the funeral on Saturday, there will be a private service at a crematorium.

Storrie said her mother would like anyone who wished to wear bright colours to do so, and in place of sending flowers, contributions could be made to the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice or other charities.

“Thanks again everyone for all the love and support,” she said, adding it “does help so much”.

Born into poverty in the East End of Glasgow in 1961 to alcoholic parents, Godley left school aged 16 with no qualifications.

She went on to forge a stand-up career, which led to her own radio shows and numerous TV appearances.

In 2016, Godley went viral after protesting at Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf resort with her infamous “unwelcome” sign (Godley’s sign used slightly spicier language).

She then went on to gain attention during the COVID pandemic, voicing videos of Ms Sturgeon’s health briefings before becoming friends with the former first minister.

In 2022, she wrote her first novel, which was warmly received by critics, and earned celebrity fans including Nigella Lawson, who said it was so good she read it in two sittings.