CEO and Exec at Coldplay Concert Weren’t Having ‘Affair,’ Source Insists: ‘This Has Been Devastating for Entire Families’

Two months after then-Astronomer CEO Andy Byron was spotted on camera at a Coldplay concert with Kristin Cabot, who served as his company’s chief people officer, a source close to Cabot is speaking out for the first time to clarify their relationship.

Byron, 51, was seen with his arms around Cabot, 53, before quickly ducking out of view when caught by the so-called kiss cam.

That viral moment, however, doesn’t tell the whole story, according to the Cabot source.

Recent details reveal that Cabot was already in the process of divorcing her husband before attending the concert with Byron. Byron is reportedly married as well, but the source insists no marriage was being broken.

“Kristin and Andy [Byron] had an excellent working relationship, a great friendship. There was no affair,” the source tells PEOPLE.

“It was inappropriate to be hugging your boss at a concert, and she accepts full responsibility for it. But the scandal, the downfall, the loss of the job — all of that is unfair.”

The source is speaking out to address the many assumptions made after Byron and Cabot made international headlines for their reaction to being seen together at the Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., on July 16. Once they realized they were on screen, Cabot covered her face while Byron tried to hide from view.

Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin noticed the moment from the stage, saying, “Oh, look at these two. All right, c’mon, you’re okay,” before joking, “Oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

The moment thrust two couples—Byron and his reported spouse, Megan, and Cabot and her husband, Andrew—into the spotlight, sparking countless memes and headlines. Tabloids began probing their personal lives, and paparazzi followed them.

Both Byron and Cabot eventually left Astronomer. The company said after Byron’s resignation, “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.”

The source close to Cabot insists the media coverage exaggerated the incident.

“It is important to note how inappropriately mislabeled Kristin has been — as a homewrecker,” the source says, adding that Byron and Cabot attended the concert with a group of friends.

“It’s unfathomable to witness what has happened, and how devastating it can be, for not just individuals, but entire families. All of the misinformation has been the most mind-blowing to witness.”

“These are real people and real families. The way people have taken enjoyment at their expense, it’s hard to see.”

Cabot did not comment to PEOPLE for this story, and Byron has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

At the time of the concert, Cabot and her husband were already separated. She filed for divorce on Aug. 13, requesting that the proceedings remain private, and her spouse agreed.

“They are amicably separated and moving forward towards divorce, focused on their families,” says the Cabot source, echoing a brief statement previously given by a spokeswoman for Cabot’s husband.

Cabot has two children from her first marriage. Her husband, the CEO of Privateer Rum, also has two children from a prior marriage.

“Kristin and Andrew [Cabot] had been living apart,” the source says. On the night she was seen with Byron, her husband was also “at the Coldplay concert on a date.”

“It was not a company event,” the source adds. “There was no company box. It was a night with a big group of friends and an inappropriate moment.”

Regarding Cabot’s current state, the source says, “It’s been hard for her to leave the house. She’s been prioritizing her family. Her kids have been through a lot.”

The controversy has sparked broader discussions about privacy in the digital age.

“Kristin had people standing outside her car while she was picking her son up from work, grown women laughing, taking pictures, pointing,” the source says.

“In the first three days after the news broke, she had about 900 death threats on her phone. The public shaming, the mockery — it’s been extreme.”

Losing her job at Astronomer, where she’d worked for seven months, was another challenge. She resigned in late July, days after Byron stepped down.

“Kristin is and always has been one of the hardest working women I’ve ever met,” says the source, noting her 22-year career in advertising and tech experience since 2016.

Despite media focus on perceived wealth and status, the source emphasizes, “She’s been working since she was 15 years old. She’s a self-made person.”

Currently, Cabot is focused on ensuring her children are okay, which the source says will take time.

“Kristin has a lot of family and friends around her who know who she really is and love her. They will all see her through this,” the source says. “It will take time.”