Comedian Ashley Storrie is the co-creator and writer behind the BAFTA and RTS award-winning drama which returns to TV screens for a second series this week.
04:30, 01 Feb 2026
Ashley Storrie photo by steve ullathorne
Janey Godley’s daughter has revealed her mum would be fuming not to get to play a character inspired by her in hit BBC show Dinosaur.
Comedian Ashley Storrie is the co-creator and writer behind the Scottish BAFTA Award and RTS award-winning drama which returns to TV screens for a second series this week.
Eagle-eyed fans will be able to spot tributes to Ashley’s stand-up comic mum Janey, who became a household name after her voiceovers to Nicola Sturgeon’s Covid briefings and died of ovarian cancer in 2024 at 63.
Storrie, 39, said her mum would have been delighted with the new series’ character named after her – but raging not to get in on the act.
Janey Godleyand her daughter Ashley Storrie.
She added: “I’m really happy we are back for season two as since I was a child it’s been my dream to do two series of a sitcom because two series is a classic British form like Dinnerladies, Fawlty Towers, The Young Ones.
“Nina’s now got choices to make and every autistic person knows we hate making decisions so it’s tough for her but you laugh and cry with her.
“Ahead of filming, the cast had to send in baby pictures and, when I got on set, there was a picture of mum on the wall in the MacArthurs’ house. So, she’s with us, which is nice.
“My mum would be happy a character was named after her but, if she was about, she’d be fuming I never asked her to play it. She’d be proud but trying to make it about her.
“My mum passed away weeks before we went to the Scottish BAFTAs and the funny thing was, my mum predicted it.
“There is an audio clip of us talking and she said ‘I’m going to wait for something big to happen and I’m going to steal all the attention’ – and she did as she had impeccable timing.”
The BAFTA and RTS award-winning drama which returns to TV screens for a second series this week.(Image: BBC)
Greg had came to Ashleys school and called her funny, which she was completely overjoyed with(Image: BBC)
Dinosaur stars palaeontologist Nina – an autistic woman played by Ashley. Now exhausted and missing home she returns to Glasgow where she discovers everything has changed.
Ashley said filming for the show which has won the hearts of fans across the globe has allowed her to showcase the beauty of Glasgow.
She said: “Glasgow is one of the best places in the world. This is where you can find out someone’s entire medical history in 15 minutes on a bus, that’s the magic.
“I’m excited Dinosaur has a huge audience. We’re showing in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It’s even been dubbed in Spanish.”
Series two of Dinosaur, arrives on BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer on Thursday and will broadcast on BBC Three from Saturday.