The fallout from the so-called "ColdplayGate" scandal has intensified after a fake apology attributed to Astronomer CEO Andy Byron went viral, prompting the company to publicly disavow the circulating statement.

According to a rep from Astronomer who spoke with TMZ, the now-viral statement is "not a real statement" from Bryon.

The controversy began on July 16 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres" tour made a stop. During the concert, the stadium's Kiss Cam caught Byron and Astronomer's Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot, appearing to kiss. Chris Martin, Coldplay's frontman, commented from the stage, "Oh, look at these two... either they're having an affair or they're very shy."

Social media users quickly identified the pair and zeroed in on their relationship status – Byron is married to educator Megan Kerrigan, while Cabot is reportedly divorced. The moment went viral after Kerrigan herself shared the video to Instagram, sparking speculation of an affair and pushing Byron into trending territory online.

Viral 'Apology' Sparks More Confusion

A screenshot began circulating on X (formerly Twitter) claiming to show a heartfelt apology from Byron. The statement described the incident as "a deeply personal mistake playing out on a very public stage" and expressed regret to his family, colleagues, and wife. It even included a reference to Coldplay's song Fix You, stating, "Lights will guide you home... I will try to fix you."

But the post, shared by an account masquerading as a CBS journalist named "Peter Enis," was entirely fake.

The parody account eventually admitted to fabricating the apology, writing, "Well guys, I've been caught — the report is fake... I'm glad you enjoyed the Fix You lyric at the end."

Another fake statement soon followed, this time poking fun at Byron's music taste, claiming he was "a Coldplay fan... not just of the first two albums."

On July 18, Astronomer officially addressed the growing frenzy. "This is not a real statement," said Taylor Jones, the company's director of communications, confirming to Men's Journal that both viral messages were fabrications.

Despite being directly involved, neither Byron nor Cabot has issued any formal statement. Byron has scrubbed his social media; his wife has stripped her last name from her Facebook account and taken down family photos.

The incident blew up further when Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded to one of the fake apology tweets with a "laughing out loud" emoji, which naturally further fueled the online talk.

As of writing, Astronomer has only publicly asserted the inauthenticity of the viral posts. The company, as well as both its CEO and HR head, have not commented.

Tags
Viral Video, Coldplay