Amanda Keller defends Coldplay duo’s ‘mistake’

Radio host Amanda Keller has unleashed on “hyenas” taking delight in the downfall of the couple at the centre of the Coldplay kiss cam.

The tide is starting to turn for the duo at the centre of the Coldplay kiss cam scandal, with some expressing their sympathies over the situation, rather than taking joy from the circus.

For anyone who has been living under a rock the past week, British band Coldplay was playing in Boston, Massachusetts, on Wednesday night when Chris Martin launched the show’s kiss cam.

On large screens around the venue, the CEO of tech company Astronomer, Andy Byron, was seen embracing the company’s head of HR, Kristin Cabot. Once the pair realised what was happening, they immediately sprung apart and tried to hide from view, with a look of horror on their faces.

It has since become one of the most viral moments of 2025, with companies capitalising on the saga for advertising, becoming the butt of jokes on morning TV shows around the world, sporting teams re-enacting it and social media users harnessing artificial intelligence to make it even funnier.

Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and colleague Kristin Cabot at a Coldplay Concert in Boston on the concert Kiss Cam. Picture: supplied

In the last week, Mr Byron was placed on leave and then resigned, while Pete DeJoy, the company’s co-founder and chief product officer, was made interim CEO. The fallout has been momentous.

Amanda Keller, who hosts a GOLD 101.7 radio show with Brendan Jones, took to the airwaves to ponder whether what had happened was fair and give a fresh perspective on the scandal.

“This whole situation of the CEO and the HR woman,” she began.

“It’s interesting because there’s a couple of ways of looking at this. It’s united the whole world in the glee that we’ve all felt at this situation.”

She admitted she had laughed at the situation, and even shared memes. Jones said there didn’t appear to be much sympathy for those involved.

“How would you feel if you were constantly defined by the worst mistake you’d ever made,” she asked.

“And these people up on this big screen have families. What a huge mistake they’ve made.”

She added that the situation had also caused more important stories to be overshadowed. Keller described the world’s reaction to the clip as “hyena’s picking at the bones”.

“I am starting to feel uncomfortable with my own reaction,” she admitted.

Jonesy asked if she was now feeling bad, and she confirmed that she was. She added that it felt as though many people commenting on the saga were just grateful it wasn’t them.

“Imagine if you had a humiliating moment — it doesn’t have to be an affair — and it suddenly becomes viral and you lose everything,” she said.

People have been making fun of the viral moment. Picture: TikTok/Today

Aussie sporting teams haven’t gotten over the recent scandal at a Coldplay concert. Picture: Supplied

Several members of the public weighed in on what Keller said — with some expressing sympathy while others declared the duo got what was coming to them.

“In an era where people love to virtue signal about mental health and online bullying, I’m surprised it’s taken this long for people to wake up to this. Had either of them taken their own life in the wake of this scandal I doubt there’d be too many expressing their ‘glee’,” one person said.

Another added: “None. I have NO sympathy for anyone who cheats. If they had morals they would end their marriages before dating but instead they chose to lie, sneak and betray.”

Someone else chimed in: “What Amanda is missing is that the woman is the head of HR, who constantly reminds staff and what and what not to do. It’s like the rules don’t apply to these two because they are at the top. Do as I say not as I do. That is part of the reason I think it went viral.”

Amanda Keller has defended the Coldplay duo. Picture: TikTok/@jonesyandamanda

One said: “When you’ve been on the other side of this it’s hard to feel sympathy for these people.”

“He’s been treated so unfairly,” another commented.

One social media user wrote: “I think world wide public humiliation is absolutely horrendous. I feel for the children. There’s people cheating on people every minute of every day. And there’s worldwide issues that get no humiliation that are far worse.”

“Yes they have families and it is a huge mistake- but why didn’t they consider their families BEFORE they started cheating,” another commented.

One questioned: “Mistake???? This was not a ‘mistake’. It was a premeditated action that got unearthed in unfortunate circumstances.”

“Big difference between a ‘mistake’ and two people choosing to cheat on their partners,” another echoed.

Originally published as Amanda Keller defends Coldplay duo’s ‘mistake’