
Chris Martin Defends Jumbotron One Month After ‘Kiss Cam’ Scandal
The Coldplay frontman was performing in the city of Kingston upon Hull earlier this week when he playfully defended the jumbotron after it sparked an international controversy last month.
Chris Martin and his band, Coldplay, are on the U.K. leg of their "Music of the Spheres World Tour" — and it's been nothing short of eventful. The group recently performed to a sold-out crowd at the Craven Park Stadium in Kingston upon Hull.

Chris Martin of Coldplay performs at Rogers Stadium on July 7, 2025, in Toronto, Ontario. | Source: Getty Images
During the show, Martin explained why they won't be getting rid of the jumbotron segment, just over a month after it exposed an alleged affair between former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and the company's HR Chief Executive, Kristin Cabot.
"This is not, never will be, and never was a kiss-cam," Martin told concertgoers at the August 19 show. "We put one couple and it's branded as a kiss-cam for the rest of your life."
"This is called a Jumbotron. We've done this for a long, long time. We pick people out to say hello. And sometimes, they — yes, sometimes they turn out to be an internationally, massive scandal, sure," the singer joked, drawing laughter from the crowd.
"But most of the time, we're just trying to say hello to some [expletive] people, that's all. Now, all of this [expletive]," he continued. "Anyways, we send pure love to those people, we wish them so well."
The band then began the jumbotron segment, but not before Martin playfully warned the audience: "If you're not prepared to be on international news, please duck."