Heartbreaking final picture of Janey Godley as Scots comic dies after cancer battle
THE heartbreaking last picture of Janey Godley showed her receiving an honorary degree.
The Scots comedian passed away aged 63 after a battle with cancer.
She revealed in September she was receiving end-of-life care for the disease.
Janey had continued to post updates for fans on social media from her hospice bed.
The final images posted on her X, formerly Twitter, two days before her death was announced, showed her being awarded an honour by one of Scotland‘s biggest universities.
The Glasgow-born comedian had been awarded an honorary doctorate by Glasgow University.
Images posted online showed the comedian proudly showing off her new degree while undergoing hospice care which her family say “brought her so much joy”.
A post on social media, written by Janey’s daughter Ashley Storrie, read: Thank you Glasgow Uni 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.
“Congratulations Doctor Godley.”
Janey Godley was born into poverty in the city in 1961.
But her hard work and humour saw her become a regular co-presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends, as well as fronting BBC Radio 4 series The C Bomb.
She also appeared on Have I Got News For You and River City.
And she had some fairly high-profile moments in recent years.
Godley ended up going viral for her infamous “unwelcome” sign for Donald Trump when he visited Scotland in 2016.
She also entertained scores of people in lockdown with her impressions of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s Covid briefings.
Godley and Sturgeon had a close friendship, with the ex-FM sending her messages of support during her health fight.
Miss Sturgeon paid tribute to her friend after the tragic news of her passing, describing her as a “force of nature“.
The life and career of Janey Godley
- 1961 – Born on January 20 as Janey Currie.
- 1973 – Mum and dad Jim and Annie separate.
- 1980 – Marries Sean Storrie on September 27.
- 1982 – Mum Annie’s “badly bruised” body recovered from the River Clyde.
- 1986 – Only daughter Ashley Storrie is born.
- 1993 – Goes to the police to report historic sexual abuse.
- 1994 – Wins first stand-up comedy contest.
- 1995 – Legally changes surname to Godley.
- 1996 – Uncle David Percy is jailed for two years for historic sexual abuse of Janey and her sister.
- 2001 – Becomes full-time comic.
- 2002 – Wins first major comedy award at New Zealand International Festival.
- 2016 – Earns international attention when she greets Donald Trump at Turnberry with the sign “Trump is a C***”
- 2020 – Goes viral with her hilarious voiceovers of Nicola Sturgeon’s pandemic briefings.
- 2021 – Axed from TV Covid Awareness campaign for historical racist tweets. Diagnosed with cancer.
- 2022 – Announces she is cancer-free only for the disease to return later that year.
- 2024 – Tells fans her cancer has spread and she’s going into a hospice where she died this week
In 2023, Godley became the winner of the inaugural Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.
But in September she cancelled a planned tour after her health quickly deteriorated after a bout of sepsis.
Her cancer had been kept at bay through NHS treatment over the last few years but had returned with a few added complications.