The funeral of comedian Janey Godley is taking place in Glasgow, with former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon among the mourners.

The service is being held at at St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow on Saturday, and mourners are wearing an array of colourful outfits, at Godley’s request.

Godley died on November 2, aged 63, after receiving palliative treatment for terminal cancer.

A hearse outside a church
The funeral of Janey Godley took place on Saturday (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The comedian achieved viral fame by creating voiceover parodies of Ms Sturgeon’s coronavirus news briefings during the pandemic, and they became friends.

Opening the service, the vicar said Goldey would be remembered with “kindness and with love” and added that “forgiveness” would be among the themes of the service.

Godley’s daughter Ashley Storrie spoke at the funeral, saying she would not be able to do any of her mother’s jokes as she was in “a house of god”.

Storrie, 38, a Bafta-winning actress, screenwriter and radio presenter, said: “My mum is very grateful to all of you who came out yesterday to Edinburgh and lined the Royal Mile and lifted your voices and song, and the people who’ve come today to remember her in the best way possible.

“My mum was very much a daughter of Glasgow, she loved her city dearly, it was her favourite place in the whole wide world.

“The 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.”

Gavin Mitchell, who played Bobby the barman in BBC sitcom Still Game, was also among the mourners on a dry but overcast day in Glasgow.

The funeral is being held on the same day as a memorial service for former first minister and SNP leader Alex Salmond, at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.