Astronomer CEO Andy Byron’s Coldplay Kiss Cam Scandal: What to Know

Every so often, social media users are treated to a legendary day of jokes and memes — and a video from a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium provided one of those days on Thursday, July 17.

At the concert one day prior, a jumbotron kiss cam settled on Astronomer CEO Andy Byron appearing to hug the company’s chief people officer, Kristin Cabot, from behind in an intimate moment neither thought would become public. Their shocked reaction caused frontman Chris Martin to speculate to the stadium of 65,000 people that they were having an affair.

Though the alleged affair remains unconfirmed, Byron is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, who is, notably, not Cabot.

As the viral video vaulted Thursday into the pantheon of great internet days, up there with the llamas escaping and 30 to 50 feral hogs, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. If you’re still wondering what exactly this is all about, keep scrolling for everything you need to know about the Coldplay kiss cam scandal.

Who Is Andy Byron?

Byron is the CEO of New York–based tech company Astronomer, which focuses on mission-critical analytics, AI and software, according to the company’s LinkedIn page. Byron joined the company in 2023 after serving as president of tech company Lacework from 2019 to 2022.

Who is Kristin Cabot?

Cabot has been Astronomer’s chief people officer since late 2024, when she joined from graph database management company Neo4j.

“There are plenty of companies out there where a leadership team doesn’t recognize the value that a strong people leader and people team can bring to a company,” she said in a press release announcing her hire. “It’s not just about benefits or catered lunches. There’s so much more to it, and I was energized in my conversations with Andy and the Astronomer leadership team about the opportunities that exist here.”

What Happened at That Coldplay Concert?

Coldplay introduced a kiss cam, a popular jumbotron promotion at sporting events, during their show. The camera settled on Byron and Cabot as Byron appeared to be holding her by the waist. When the two realized they were on camera, Byron immediately dropped to the floor and Cabot covered her face.

Their frantic reactions prompted band frontman Martin to wonder aloud whether the two were having an affair.

“Whoa, look at these two. Alright, come on. You’re OK,” Martin, 48, said. “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy. I’m not quite sure what to do.”

He added, “Holy s***. I hope we didn’t do something bad.”

The video appeared online by the next morning and quickly went viral, seemingly causing Byron and Cabot to deactivate their LinkedIn pages and Kerrigan Byron to deactivate her Facebook account.

What Have Byron and Cabot Said?

Neither Byron nor Cabot has broken their silence about the incident. A statement circulated on Thursday that appeared to be from Byron, but Astronomer told TMZ that it is “not real.” Us Weekly has reached out to both for comment.

What Has Astronomer Said?

Astronomer released a statement via its Linkedin page on Friday, July 18, announcing it has launched an investigation into the incident.

“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability,” the statement read. “The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.”

Astronomer also confirmed that the statement from Byron circulating the previous day was, in fact, fake.