Comedian Janey Godley withdraws from panto ‘by mutual agreement’

Scottish comedian Janey Godley has withdrawn from an Aberdeen pantomime as a row over historical offensive online posts rages on.

Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA) has announced that “by mutual agreement” the star will no longer be involved in the production of Beauty And The Beast at His Majesty’s Theatre.

It came less than 24 hours after the Scottish Government ditched the 60-year-old from a Covid safety advertising campaign – as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday morning told the BBC the remarks were “completely out of order and unacceptable”.

Godley’s posts targeted Black American rappers Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent, and singer Kelly Rowland.

US publication The Daily Beast – which uncovered tweets, some a decade old – described them as “obscenely racist”.

Publicly-funded arts body APA continued to back Godley earlier this week, despite the unearthing of old tweets using highly offensive words known to be derogatory to those with disabilities – as well as poking fun at the Chernobyl disaster.

However, Crossroads Pantomimes and Aberdeen Performing Arts issued a joint statement yesterday. A spokeswoman said: “Janey Godley, by mutual agreement with Crossroads Pantomimes and Aberdeen Performing Arts, has withdrawn from Beauty And The Beast at HMT Aberdeen this Christmas. We do not condone any form of discrimination, nor do we condone online bullying, trolling and abuse.”

Godley has tweeted an apology over the “offensive, hurtful language”.

Godley was to star in Beauty And The Beast.