Comedian Janey Godley left an estate valued at approximately £450,000 to her family following her death at the age of 63, according to documents filed at Glasgow Sheriff Court. Godley died in November 2024 after a battle with ovarian cancer.
The performer, who gained widespread recognition for her comedic voiceovers of Nicola Sturgeon during the COVID-19 pandemic, was surrounded by friends and family in her final weeks. Her will, signed in 2021, named her husband Sean Storrie and daughter Ashley as executors.
Documents reveal that Godley's estate at the time of her death was worth £448,515. This included shares valued at £293,709 in her company, JAI Incorporated Ltd, and £98,500 in cash. After expenses, the net value of her estate was £446,452. Her occupation was listed as 'comedian.'
Godley, who was born in Glasgow in 1961 and grew up in poverty, began her stand-up comedy career in 1994. She became a regular on BBC Radio 4's Loose Ends and hosted her own series, The C Bomb. She also made appearances on panel shows such as Have I Got News For You.
She achieved viral fame during the pandemic for her spoof voiceovers of Scotland's then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's coronavirus news briefings, as well as other comic impressions. Sturgeon later paid tribute to Godley, calling her a "force of nature" and acknowledging that her voiceovers helped project public health messages to a wider audience, potentially saving lives.
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Before her pandemic-related fame, Godley was known for her outspoken activism. In 2016, she protested against former US President Donald Trump's visit to Scotland, holding an expletive-laden sign at one of his golf courses.
In May 2023, 18 months before her death, Godley expressed comfort in the financial security she had secured for her husband and daughter. She stated, "I'm proud of the fact that despite all the s***e that was flung at me I managed to make my family financially secure which was very important to me because I came from such poverty." She emphasized her desire for her daughter to never worry about basic needs.
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Godley revealed her ovarian cancer diagnosis in November 2021. Although she received an all-clear in 2022, the disease later returned. She spent her final weeks in a hospice, with her daughter Ashley posting a video after her death thanking the hospice staff.
In October 2024, Godley spoke about the difficulty of informing her autistic daughter about her cancer diagnosis, describing it as akin to "throwing a hand grenade."
Among those paying tribute were chef Nigella Lawson and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Godley's funeral was attended by hundreds of mourners, including Sturgeon and actor Gavin Mitchell. The service concluded with a recording of Godley's signature sign-off, "Frank, get the door."