A former human resources executive has spoken out for the first time about the viral Coldplay concert moment that upended her career and personal life.
The Incident That Captured Global Attention
Kristin Cabot, the former Chief People Officer at tech firm Astronomer, has broken her silence on the infamous Coldplay kiss cam incident with her boss, CEO Andy Byron. The event took place at a concert and was captured in a video that quickly spiralled into a global online sensation.
The clip, which showed the pair embracing and then swiftly recoiling upon realising they were on the stadium's big screen, amassed a staggering over 100 million views on TikTok. The widespread sharing and commentary on the moment created an uncontrollable wave of public scrutiny.
Severe Personal and Professional Consequences
The fallout from the video's virality was swift and severe for both individuals involved. Cabot revealed that the online exposure led to her receiving dozens of death threats, a terrifying reality that also significantly affected her children.
Professionally, the incident culminated in the resignations of both Cabot and Byron from their high-profile positions at Astronomer. The personal cost, however, extended far beyond their careers, plunging Cabot's family into a period of fear and distress.
A Message of Resilience Amid Regret
In her first interview since the event, Cabot expressed clear regret, calling her decision to participate in the kiss cam a 'bad decision'. She described the entire episode as feeling 'so cliché and so bad'.
Despite the profound negative impact, Cabot stated she hopes to demonstrate to her children that mistakes can be overcome and that no one should have to face threats for a personal error in judgement. Her focus is now on moving forward and rebuilding a sense of normalcy for her family after the intense public shaming.
The incident, which occurred and went viral in December 2025, serves as a stark case study in the instant and often brutal power of social media virality on private lives.
