It was supposed to be just another corporate night out: Coldplay tickets, a few drinks, and some team bonding. But for Kristin Cabot and Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, a split-second decision (or lack thereof) during the concert’s infamous kiss cam turned their evening into an internet spectacle.
Now, what started as an awkward stadium moment has spiraled into a full-blown scandal, with rumors of infidelity, a furious wife scrubbing her online presence, and a company caught in the crossfire. Before this, Cabot was just another high-powered HR exec—now, she’s at the center of a viral storm that’s left everyone asking: How did this even happen?
Who Is Kristin Cabot—And Is She Married?
Kristin Cabot, the Chief People Officer at tech giant Astronomer, suddenly found herself in the middle of a viral firestorm, and it all started with a Coldplay concert. On July 16, 2025, she and Astronomer CEO Andy Byron were caught in an extremely awkward moment on the stadium’s kiss cam. The footage spread like wildfire, with fans and internet sleuths dissecting every frame: Were they just close colleagues? Or was this proof of an affair?
You Might Like: Connie Francis’ $25M Net Worth at Her Death in 2025
Cabot, a seasoned HR executive, had only joined Astronomer nine months prior, in November 2024. Her LinkedIn paints her as a “passionate people leader” who “wins trust with employees of all levels”—a description that’s now being memed into oblivion. Before Astronomer, she held HR roles at companies like Neo4j and Proofpoint, specializing in company culture and leadership development. But here’s the thing: while her professional life is well-documented, her personal life? Not so much.
Coldplay accidentally exposed an alleged affair between Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his colleague Kristin Cabot at one of their recent concerts. pic.twitter.com/hsJHV2u5UM
— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 17, 2025
Unlike Andy Byron, whose wife Megan Kerrigan Byron was quickly identified, Cabot’s marital status remains murky. Some reports mention her using the surname “Thornby” in brackets on LinkedIn, but there’s no public record of a spouse. Did she have a husband before this scandal? If so, he’s stayed completely out of the spotlight: no social media traces, no interviews, nothing. Meanwhile, Megan Kerrigan Byron has already scrubbed her Facebook and Instagram clean, dropping “Byron” from her name in what many see as a silent statement.
UPDATE: Cabot was previously married to her ex-husband, Kenneth C. Thornby, but their divorce was finalized around 2022 with no reported kids in the picture.
UPDATE 2: Kristin Cabot appears to be married to another CEO, Andrew Cabot of Privateer Rum. Public records show Cabot and her husband purchased a $2.2 million home together in Rye, New Hampshire, just five months before the scandal. Though their exact marriage details remain unclear, they’ve shared the same address since at least 2023 and reportedly have children together. Kristin also held an advisory role at Privateer since 2020, adding to the personal-professional overlap now under public and company scrutiny.
The Coldplay Incident & Its Aftermath: A PR Nightmare
Let’s rewind to that fateful night at Gillette Stadium. Coldplay’s Chris Martin, ever the showman, swung the kiss cam toward Cabot and Byron, who were very cozy, arms wrapped around each other. The second they realized they were on the jumbotron, chaos ensued. Byron ducked behind a barrier like a man fleeing a crime scene, while Cabot buried her face in her hands. Martin, smelling drama, quipped: “Oh what… either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.” The crowd erupted in laughter. The internet? Even louder.
By morning, the clip had millions of views. TikTok detectives dug into their LinkedIn histories, mocking Cabot’s “trust with CEOs” line and Byron’s gushing welcome post when she joined Astronomer. Comments ranged from sympathetic (“Imagine his wife seeing this”) to brutal (“HR’s job is to protect the company… not sleep with the CEO”).
Also See: Connie Francis’ Family: Meet Her Husband and Children
The fallout? Instant. Megan Kerrigan Byron wiped her socials. Astronomer stayed radio silent. And Cabot? No word yet, though her carefully crafted “people-first” reputation is now tangled in scandal. Some are calling this a career-ender, especially if an internal investigation confirms misconduct. Others joke that this is the most attention Coldplay’s gotten in years.
As of July 18, 2025, neither Cabot nor Byron has addressed the rumors. But one thing’s clear: This wasn’t just a bad kiss cam moment. It was a public unraveling of reputations, marriages, and maybe even careers. And for Kristin Cabot, whether she’s married or not, the bigger question now is: What happens next?
