Janey Godley funeral is colourful comedy send-off
Comedian Janey Godley has been given a colourful comedy send-off in Glasgow, with Scotlandâs former first minister Nicola Sturgeon among the mourners.
The funeral at St Maryâs Cathedral in Glasgow saw many family and friends wear colourful outfits and ended with her catchphrase âFrank, get the doorâ.
The Scottish comedian died earlier this month at the age of 63, after receiving palliative treatment for ovarian cancer.
Godley found viral fame by making voiceover parodies of Sturgeonâs news briefings during the Covid pandemic, before the pair became friends.
Godleyâs daughter Ashley Storrie spoke at the service, saying she would not be able to do any of her motherâs jokes as she was in âa house of godâ.
Storrie, 38, a comedian and radio presenter, said: âMy mum was very much a daughter of Glasgow, she loved her city dearly, it was her favourite place in the whole wide world.
âThe 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.
âIt felt like the world was telling her, be quiet, stay small, donât get big, so she did the opposite.
Storrie also thanked hundreds of mourners who lined the streets of Edinburgh on Friday, to see the hearse carrying Godley on her âfinal tourâ ahead of the funeral.
It was held on the same day as a memorial service for former first minister Alex Salmond, at St Gilesâ Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Sturgeon, who became friends with Godley after her online videos, attended the Glasgow service and said it âencapsulated Janey perfectlyâ.
She added: âShe was a special woman, she was so close to my heart. Sheâll be a greatly missed.
âA lot of tears in the church but also a lot of laughter, and thatâs how she would want to be remembered â with joy and laughter.â
Gavin Mitchell, who played Bobby the Barman in BBC Scotland sitcom Still Game, was also among the mourners at St Maryâs Cathedral.
The funeral ended with a recording of her saying, âFrank, get the doorâ before the church doors opened.
Godley used the catchphrase to end each of her Nicola Sturgeon Covid parodies. It was also the title of her 2020 book.
At the service the vicar praised Godleyâs pandemic comedy videos.
He said: âItâs no exaggeration to say that itâs likely there are people alive today because of Janey Godley, because of funny wee videos, and because of the truth she told on stage.
âShe 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.â
Godley has said her Frank catchphrase was based on a man who read âcowboy booksâ at a pub she worked in.
Born in the east end of Glasgow in 1961, Godley was a landlady before establishing herself on the comedy circuit.
She became known to a wider audience across the world for her protest against Donald Trumpâs 2016 visit to Scotland, where she held up a sign with an offensive word describing the then president.