NEED TO KNOW
- A couple went viral on July 17 for their reaction to being spotted on a video screen with their arms around each other at a Coldplay concert
- Astronomer, the company led by CEO Andy Byron, previously stated it had launched an investigation into the matter
- The company has put Byron on leave
The tech company that launched an investigation after a couple went viral for their reaction after being spotted together at a Coldplay concert — which prompted lead singer Chris Martin to joke that they might be having an “affair” — has put the man seen in the clip on leave.
“Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave,” a spokesperson for Astronomer told PEOPLE on Friday, July 18. “We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days.”
The couple — who were not identified in the original video — were called out by Martin at the Coldplay show in a moment that quickly went nuclear on social media on Thursday, July 17.
At the concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., where the band performed earlier this week, the man and woman were highlighted in the kiss cam as he wrapped his arms around her. In one viral clip posted to TikTok, the woman can be seen covering her face, while the man ducked down out of sight after realizing they were on camera.
“Oh, look at these two,” Martin, 48, said to the crowd as the couple hid from sight. “All right, c’mon, you’re okay.”
Martin then said, “Oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”
The video quickly went viral as various online accounts purported to identify the couple and share details about what was really going on.
Later at the concert, Martin appeared to address the potential fallout from the kiss-cam moment, The Guardian reported.
“Holy s—,” the singer told the audience, according to the paper. “I hope we didn’t do something bad.”
In a statement shared on LinkedIn on Friday, July 18, Astronomer wrote that it is “committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability.”
“The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly,” the company added.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The tech company, which did not explicitly confirm the identities of anybody in the video at the time, noted that Byron had not put out any statement and that reports that “other employees” were at the event and featured in the video were incorrect.
When previously reached by PEOPLE, Astronomer confirmed it had no additional comment.
Byron has not responded to PEOPLE’s separate messages seeking comment. The woman could not be reached.
Read the full article here
