The HR director who became the unwilling star of a viral Coldplay kiss cam video has spoken out for the first time, describing how a 16-second clip destroyed her career and personal life.
A Night Out That Changed Everything
In July, Kristin Cabot attended a Coldplay concert at Boston's Gillette Stadium with her boss, Astronomer CEO Andy Byron. She had secured two free tickets and invited him, having developed what she describes as a 'big happy crush' after they had both separated from their partners.
During the show, the pair shared an embrace. Unbeknownst to them, the stadium's jumbotron had focused on them as part of the concert's 'kiss cam' segment. Cabot's immediate reaction to seeing her face on screen was horror, but not for the reason the world assumed.
"My immediate reaction was, 'Holy shit, Andrew's here'," she told The Times. Her estranged husband was also in the audience, reportedly on a first date. She covered her face, fearing she would embarrass him during their amicable separation.
Frontman Chris Martin quipped to the crowd, "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy!" The clip, filmed by attendee Grace Springer, was posted online and swiftly went viral.
The Aftermath: Resignation and Relentless Abuse
Internet sleuths quickly identified Cabot and Byron. The ensuing scandal, dubbed 'Coldplaygate', triggered an internal investigation at the $1.3 billion software firm where they worked. Both senior figures subsequently stepped down from their roles.
Cabot reveals she was deluged with threatening messages, being labelled a 'homewrecker' and told to meet a 'violent end'. "It has been like a scarlet letter," she said. "People erased everything I'd accomplished in my life and achieved in my career."
The personal fallout was devastating. One of her children burst into tears over the incident, and Cabot admits she was in "too dark a place" to parent effectively. Her children are now so embarrassed they ask her not to collect them from school or attend their sports games.
Months on, she claims strangers still shout abuse at her in the street and she has been told she is 'unemployable'. She filed for divorce from her husband, Andrew, in August 2025.
A Plea for Kindness and Moving Forward
Cabot insists the embrace captured on camera was the first time she and Byron had been physically affectionate. After the concert, they spent hours on the phone crafting a joint email to their company's board, but she says they no longer speak.
Now, she is attempting to rebuild her life and reputation. "This can't be the final word," she stated, calling for people "to be kinder to each other" and to stop "constantly tear[ing] one another down."
The woman who filmed the clip, Grace Springer, 28, from New Jersey, has previously stood by her decision to share it online, telling The U.S. Sun: "A part of me feels bad for turning these people's lives upside down, but, play stupid games… win stupid prizes."
Neither Andy Byron nor Coldplay responded to requests for comment from The Times.
