Astronomer Issues an Official Statement Regarding Their CEO’s Coldplay Kiss Cam Controversy
The software company released its statement in response to allegations that the CEO, who has been placed on leave pending internal investigations, had apologized publicly.
However, these reports were quickly refuted.
Regarding the issue caused by Andy Byron, the company’s CEO, and Kristin Cabot, its chief people officer, Astronomer has clarified the facts.
When Byron and Cabot were spotted on the jumbotron during a recent Coldplay show, they appeared to be having an affair, which caused a media frenzy earlier this week.
Appears Coldplay concert goers are going through their phones trying to find Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot and it looks like they found them 😝#ColdplayGate pic.twitter.com/UqDg2yv5DW
— Mrs. SpaceX ™️ (@anuibi) July 19, 2025
Cabot leaned against Byron’s chest while he stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her.
Byron ran out of sight of the camera as soon as they realized they were on the Kiss Cam, and Cabot swiftly turned back and covered her face.
As a result, Chris Martin, the frontman of Coldplay, joked that they were “either having an affair or just very shy.”
On social media, the incident went viral, leading to a lot of conjecture about Byron, Cabot, and Astronomer.
The tech company issued a statement through Fox News in response to the uproar.
Due to Andy Byron’s leave, cofounder and chief product officer Pete DeJoy is presently acting as temporary CEO.
“In the days ahead, we will provide more information as needed,” it said.
Additionally, the business released the following statement regarding X:
Astronomer is dedicated to upholding the principles and culture that have governed us since its establishment.
It is expected of our leaders to set the bar for accountability and behavior.
“We will have more information to offer soon as the Board of Directors has started a formal investigation into this issue.”
Since then, online users who have been following the situation have expressed their thoughts.
One individual remarked, “This whole story is a MESS.”
“Oh my god, this is so messy.”
Another said, “They ought to have just kept their cool.”
A third netizen expressed the opinion, saying, “So messy now.”
“Wow this is crazy,” someone else said.
While some predicted that Byron and Cabot would quit, others claimed that Astronomer might fire them.
As they ducked away in the widely shared video, a woman who looked obviously uneasy stood next to them.
Fans surmised that she might be Alyssa Stoddard, another Astronomer employee.
In the aforementioned announcement, Stoddard’s name was cleared by the corporation.
“Alyssa Stoddard did not attend the event, and the film did not feature any other employees.”
The business clarified that Andy Byron has not released a statement and that any rumors claiming otherwise are untrue.
An X account called Peter Enis, a phony CBS News reporter with over 50 followers, posted a supposed apology from Byron hours after the concert event, but it turned out to be a fake.
The fake apology started with, “I want to acknowledge the moment that’s been circulating online, and the disappointment it’s caused.”
“What was supposed to be a night of music and joy turned into a deeply personal mistake playing out on a very public stage.”
The phony Byron “sincerely” apologized to his wife, family, and Astronomer team, claiming that they were entitled to better treatment from him as a leader, parent, and partner.
The post went on to say, “This is not who I want to be or how I want to represent the company I helped build.”
Byron is taking “time to reflect, to take accountability, and to figure out the next steps, personally and professionally,” it said, and he requested privacy while he worked through that process.
The final line of the letter was a passage from Coldplay’s 2005 song “Fix You.”
“As a friend once sang: ‘Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you,’” it said.
Now suspended is the original account that posted the fake apology.
Ry Walker, the former CEO of Astronomer, also offered his thoughts on the matter on X.
He revealed that he had provided some private responses to several inquiries on Byron but wished to make some of the responses public.
In one question, Walker was asked to provide a brief description of Byron.
“I’ve only ever spoken with Andy on the phone once, and I’ve found him to be professional.”
“I’ve received appreciation for his leadership from every team member.”
Walker, who is currently the CEO of the AI company Tembo, said, “I think this is an unfortunate development that comes as a big surprise.”
Walker answered a query requesting him to contrast his experiences at Tembo and Astronomer in another X post.
“From 2015 until 2019, I served as CEO of Astronomer, essentially until we gained significant traction.”
“I then hired an experienced CEO for the expansion phase,” he said.
Walker stated that he did not “regret it at all” because the choice “turned out well” for the business.
He continued, “With that experience banked, I now have a lot more confidence to remain CEO through the growth phase that we’re experiencing at Tembo — I’m excited to go further as CEO with Tembo vs. last time.”
Byron and Cabot have not yet responded directly to the controversy, but that hasn’t stopped online investigators from learning more about the two’s behavior.
Public interest in Byron’s 2023 press statement regarding Cabot’s executive appointment was rekindled when social media users and internet sleuths started looking into the pair after the video of their viral moment went viral.
He stated in the statement:
Astronomer says CEO Andy Byron ‘statement’ online is fake amid kiss cam scandal https://t.co/n6lYrO5aBW
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) July 18, 2025
“As we continue on our quick trajectory, Kristin’s outstanding leadership and extensive knowledge in personnel management, employee engagement, and scaling people strategies will be crucial.”
“She has demonstrated leadership at several growth-stage businesses, and Astronomer is the ideal place for her because of her enthusiasm for creating diverse, cooperative work environments.”
Those comments are now coming up again, but in a very new context.
> How does your experience as CEO at @tembo compare to your time leading @astronomerio ?
— Ry Walker (@rywalker) July 18, 2025
I was CEO for Astronomer from 2015-2019, basically until we hit serious traction. At that point, I brought in an experienced CEO for the growth stage. That decision turned out very well for…
Their alleged affair has sparked a variety of online reactions, from amusing to disbelieving.
“For the lawyers, specifically, this cheating scandal is the gift that keeps coming! Currently, their husbands need to be expressing gratitude to the tabloids 😂😂😂,” a user commented.
Others saw right once that there might be more than one side to the controversy.
As one perceptive viewer pointed out, “It looks like she also has a wedding ring on here?”
According to court documents from Massachusetts, Cabot was previously wed to Kenneth Thornby.
Busted!
— Mrs. SpaceX ™️ (@anuibi) July 17, 2025
This backfired real quick.
CEO and HR having an affair and were outed during Coldplay‘s concert 👀
Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot from Astronomer 😬😬😬
Wife‘s Facebook has already been found and people commenting on it. pic.twitter.com/RWgYDVMuaV
The ex-couple concluded their divorce in 2022 after filing for one in 2018.
Records indicate that Cabot and Thornby share at least one child, and Thornby was compelled to pay child support; however, it is unclear if Cabot has subsequently remarried.
Many focused on Byron’s marriage as suspicions grew.
Megan Kerrigan Byron, his wife, first deleted the name Byron from her Facebook profile before deleting it completely.
Additionally, her Instagram account has been deleted.
Following a barrage of comments on her social media profiles about the viral footage of her husband and his HR executive at the performance, Megan apparently took quick action.
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and chief people officer Kristin Cabot have been immediately put on leave, Axios reports. pic.twitter.com/EP7TKMZu6h
— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 18, 2025
In the end, internet users informed Megan that they supported her.
In the meantime, Cabot and Byron have both deleted their social media accounts.