Tech executive's alleged affair exposed during Boston concert as wife drops surname.
What started as an evening of music at Boston's Gillette Stadium quickly transformed into a viral sensation that has rocked the corporate world. During Coldplay's Wednesday night concert, the band's traditional "Kiss Cam" segment unexpectedly captured what appeared to be an intimate moment between Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and the company's Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot.
The dramatic scene unfolded as frontman Chris Martin playfully directed the stadium's cameras toward couples in the audience. When the lens focused on Byron and Cabot, who were embracing with his hands around her waist, their reaction was immediate and telling. Both appeared shocked and panicked, with Byron quickly turning away and hiding behind barriers while Cabot covered her face with her hands.
Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin initially mistook the couple's moment for a romantic interlude but quickly sensed something wasn't right. "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy," Martin remarked during the performance, drawing laughter from the packed stadium.
"I hope we didn't do something bad," Martin added, according to follow-up footage, before carrying on with his performance. Little did he know his observation would ignite a social media firestorm.
The footage spread rapidly across platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and Twitter, with internet sleuths quickly identifying the pair through their LinkedIn profiles. The revelation that both worked for the same Cincinnati-based tech company only intensified speculation about their relationship.
The scandal's impact extended far beyond social media chatter. Within hours of the video going viral, Byron's wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, a teacher and mother of two, made a telling move. She dropped the "Byron" surname from her Facebook profile and subsequently deleted her entire page, which had contained numerous family photos.
The professional consequences were equally swift. Byron reportedly deactivated his LinkedIn account and removed previous posts praising Cabot's work performance. The deletion of a post where he described Cabot's "exceptional leadership" and "deep expertise" has only added to the speculation surrounding their relationship.
Social media users have been merciless in their commentary, with many focusing on the couple's obvious panic when caught on camera. "Man, ALL YOU HAD TO DO was no-sell it," wrote one Twitter user. "If you hadn't gone down like you'd been shot, nobody would've ever known."
Others found dark humour in the situation. "Taking the side chick to a Coldplay concert and getting exposed for it by the band itself, and it going viral is so funny," commented another user. Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk joined the conversation, responding to the viral video with a laughing emoji.
Byron has served as Astronomer's CEO since July 2023, leading the $1.2 billion data orchestration company. Cabot joined as Chief People Officer in November 2024, bringing extensive experience in talent management and HR operations.
Neither Astronomer nor its executives have issued official statements regarding the incident. As the story continues to dominate headlines, it serves as a stark reminder of how quickly private moments can become public scandals in our interconnected world.
The concert that was meant to create magical memories has instead become a cautionary tale about the intersection of personal choices and public visibility.
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