At Coldplay’s July 16 show at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a routine “kiss-cam” moment unexpectedly ignited a media firestorm. The Jumbotron focused on Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot, showing them in a close embrace before they recoiled in embarrassment. Lead singer Chris Martin quipped, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” drawing laughter and gasps from the crowd.

Viral videos on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) have amassed millions of views. Byron can be heard muttering, “F - king hell, it’s me,” while Cabot quietly says, “This is awkward,” according to on-site clips. The incident, now dubbed “ColdplayGate,” triggered a wave of memes, merchandise, and speculation online.

Both Byron and Cabot, who are reportedly married (Byron with two children), have since deactivated their LinkedIn profiles. Even Astronomer itself has remained silent, declining to comment on the affair rumors. The company’s former CEO, Ry Walker, distanced himself via X, clarifying he’s uninvolved.

With public scrutiny mounting, this unexpected kiss-cam reveal has cast a long shadow over workplace etiquette at Astronomer - and forever intertwined Chris Martin’s joke with its PR fallout.