Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has finally addressed the viral scandal that erupted after one of the band’s jumbotron moments caught a CEO in an uncomfortable position. Speaking to fans at the band’s show in Hull, Martin delivered a scathing statement that made clear he was aware of the online storm surrounding the incident.
The controversy began on 16 July at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts when the camera cut to Andy Byron, then CEO of the New York-based company Astronomer, alongside the firm’s Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot. The pair were seen holding hands, with Cabot leaning against Byron, before both quickly ducked out of view as the crowd watched. Martin, unaware of Byron’s marital status, quipped at the time that they were either shy or having an affair.
The clip went viral within hours, fuelling widespread speculation and sparking a storm on Reddit, TikTok and Twitter. Shortly after, Astronomer confirmed on LinkedIn that Byron had resigned, stating that the board had accepted his decision to step down.
At the Hull concert, Martin took the opportunity to address the moment directly. Standing in front of thousands, he told fans: “This is called a jumbotron, and we’ve done this for a long long time, and we pick people out to say hello, and sometimes they turn out to be internationally massive scandal, sure. But most of the time we’re just trying to say hello to people, that’s all. Now all of this bullsh*t.”
Martin went on to joke about the upcoming kiss cam segment, warning the audience: “We’re going to do our f**king kiss cam… so if you’re not prepared to be on international news, please duck.” He later told the crowd that life was about turning lemons into lemonade and confirmed the tradition would continue.
Coldplay are currently on tour with multiple dates at Wembley Stadium between 19 August and 8 September. Tickets remain available online.
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