Janey Godley opens up on Glasgow gangster family and mum's horrific murder in BBC film

A documentary following the life of one of the city's success stories - Janey Godley - is set to air on BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer this week.

The film follows the 63-year-old comedian on her Not Dead Yet tour, after her terminal ovarian cancer diagnosis. She is joined by best friend Shirley, and her daughter, Ashley Storrie who can currently be seen in the lead role of the brand new BBC comedy series Dinosaur.

Janey grew up in poverty in Glasgow’s east end with her mother who was an alcoholic. As a child, Janey was sexually abused by her uncle.

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She tells the story of her mother's horrific murder when she was 21-years-old, revisiting the river where her mother’s body was found.

Aged 19, Janey married into a notorious family of Glasgow gangsters. She ran a successful pub for them with her husband.

She outlines her hard-fought battle for success playing in strip clubs and sacrificing family life to make her way in stand-up, and turning points such as when she hit the headlines in 2016 with her forthright protest sign against Donald Trump on a visit to Scotland, and the viral success during the pandemic of her comic re-voicing of Nicola Sturgeon’s Covid briefings.

Janey said: "There’s a lot of serious bits that are a wee bit difficult for me to watch because it’s challenging, but what I love about it is none of it is rehearsed, it’s all genuine documentary – on the hoof - off the cuff – and it’s brilliant."

A feature length version of the documentary, directed by John Archer and produced by Hopscotch Films with funding from BBC Scotland and Screen Scotland, was the closing film of this year’s Glasgow Film Festival.

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John added: "It was a joy working with Janey over this past year and getting to know her. Nothing was off-limits for filming.

"She is a great collaborator, totally open and happy to make people laugh even about the bleakest moments in her life - and there've been a few. We were also very lucky that Janey has great home videos of her life that have never been seen before, and they really helped us tell her story.

"I look forward to viewers experiencing Janey in a new light, in what is undoubtedly emotional viewing."

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An hour-long version for BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer includes all the key moments including a conversation with former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Glasgow's Aye Write book festival, talking about Janey’s Covid take-offs, the success of which led to the racist historic tweets being uncovered.

Janey also meets up with old friend Jimmy Carr at the Edinburgh Festival talking unsparingly about her guilt and shame as well as wider issues around cancel culture. Throughout the film, Janey also deals with the grim reality of stage three cancer, along with the highs and lows of touring.

Janey airs on the BBC Scotland channel and BBC iPlayer on Tuesday, May 14, at 10pm