HR Executive in Viral Coldplay Clip Speaks on Harassment, Threats, and Job Loss

An HR executive caught on the big screen at a Coldplay concert embracing her boss has spoken publicly about the fallout from the viral moment, saying the harassment that followed has never stopped. Kristin Cabot has described months of abuse, threats, and professional setbacks after a video of her at the concert circulated widely online.

The clip, filmed at a Coldplay show in Boston, Massachusetts, in July, showed Ms Cabot hugging Andy Byron, then the CEO of tech company Astronomer. The pair were seen swaying to music before abruptly ducking out of view when they realized they were on the screen. The moment escalated after Coldplay’s lead singer addressed the crowd.

“Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”

The video was watched millions of times and shared across social media platforms, quickly turning the pair into a viral spectacle. While online attention faded within days, Ms Cabot said the consequences for her continued long after. At the time, she was Astronomer’s chief people officer. She stepped down following Mr Byron’s resignation after the company placed him on leave and announced an internal investigation.

Speaking to the Times, Ms Cabot said she is now trying to rebuild her career but has been told she is “unemployable.” She described how the incident reshaped her public identity in ways she never expected.

“I became a meme, I was the most maligned HR manager in HR history,” Ms Cabot told The Times.

She confirmed that she was separated from her husband at the time of the concert, who was also in attendance that night.

Why did the viral Coldplay clip have lasting consequences for Kristin Cabot?

In a separate interview with the New York Times, Ms Cabot said she was not in a sexual relationship with Mr Byron and that the two had never kissed before that evening, though she admitted to having had a “crush” on him.

“I made a bad decision and had a couple of High Noons and danced and acted inappropriately with my boss,” she said, adding that she “took accountability and I gave up my career for that”.

Ms Cabot explained that she chose to speak publicly now because the impact of the scandal has continued to affect her family.

“…it’s not over for me, and it’s not over for my kids. The harassment never ended”.

She said her two children have struggled deeply, becoming too embarrassed to be picked up from school by their mother or attend sports games.

“They’re mad at me. And they can be mad at me for the rest of their lives – I have to take that.”

Ms Cabot also questioned whether Mr Byron faced the same level of abuse following the incident.

“I think as a woman, as women always do, I took the bulk of the abuse. People would say things like I was a ‘gold-digger’ or I ‘slept my way to the top’, which just couldn’t be further from reality,” she said.

“I worked so hard to dispel that all my life and here I was being accused of it.”

What kind of harassment did she and her family face?

Ms Cabot told the New York Times that she received threatening messages, including one that read: “I’m coming for you.” She said someone claimed to know where she shopped, escalating fears for her safety.

“My kids were afraid that I was going to die and they were going to die.”

Her private information was shared online through doxxing, and she was reportedly bombarded with up to 600 calls a day. She described paparazzi outside her home as a “parade” and said she received between 50 and 60 death threats. She also noted that much of the in-person bullying, calls, and messages came from women.

High-profile figures joined the online scrutiny, with her appearance, body, and clothing dissected publicly. Gwyneth Paltrow later appeared in a tongue-in-cheek promotional video for Astronomer, further amplifying attention.

Ms Cabot said conditions are slowly improving. She has found therapists for her children and has begun leaving the house again, including playing tennis. While she and Mr Byron briefly stayed in touch to exchange “crisis management advice,” she said they agreed to stop communicating to allow healing.

Astronomer later confirmed Mr Byron’s departure, stating: “Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted.”

By Modester Nasimiyu