Amanda Knox defends comedy show after Meredith Kercher's sister condemns it

Amanda Knox is defending her new stage show Cartwheel after Meredith Kercher's sister criticised the production and a petition calling for its cancellation gathered more than 10,000 signatures.

Knox's show, which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, explores motherhood, her wrongful conviction and imprisonment following Kercher's 2007 murder in Perugia, Italy. Knox spent nearly four years in prison before her conviction was ultimately overturned and she was exonerated.

Stephanie Kercher, Meredith's sister, has condemned the production, arguing that it risks trivialising violence against women and causes further pain for a family that continues to live with the loss. She has also questioned the use of Meredith's death as material for a comedy performance.

Knox, however, has rejected the criticism and defended Cartwheel as a way of honouring Meredith while addressing the injustice and trauma surrounding the case. She has argued that critics are judging the show without having seen it and that comedy can provide a way to confront painful and complicated experiences.

The controversy intensified after the show's debut, with the production drawing both criticism and support from audiences. Reviews have described it as more of a personal, reflective monologue than conventional stand-up comedy, with Knox revisiting her experience of becoming internationally known through the murder investigation and subsequent trials.

The dispute has reignited debate over who has the right to tell stories surrounding real-life tragedies, particularly when the person at the centre of the story is no longer alive to give their perspective.