Amanda Knox defends Fringe comedy show after claims it will ‘trivialise violence’

Amanda Knox, who was convicted and later acquitted of murdering British student Meredith Kercher in Italy in 2007, has defended her solo comedy show following calls for it to be cancelled.

The sold-out show called Cartwheel, which Knox will perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, discusses motherhood and how she will explain the case to her daughter.

Knox told the BBC she is not the first person to use comedy to talk about traumatic events and said her material focuses on “how the world is unsafe and unfair towards women”.

But Stephanie Kercher, the victim’s sister, said she is concerned it will “normalise and trivialise” violence against women, and Meredith, in particular.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Stephanie Kercher, said: “What I would say [to Knox] is to think about the family here, think about her friends and to turn the tables if it was your sister that this had happened to, because I know you have a sister as well.”

Responding to the comments, Knox said: “The interesting irony of that is that my daughter is a huge motivation for me doing this show.

“It’s about how the world is unsafe and unfair towards women and what it means to raise a daughter in that world, knowing how bad it can be.

“If they [Kercher’s family] saw my show, they would recognise that.”

A petition against the show, set up by a friend of Meredith, has been signed by nearly 5,000 people.

It states the show disrespects her memory and risks making light of such a harrowing event.