Chris Martin Confirms Coldplay Will Keep Jumbotron Segment After Astronomer Scandal

Chris Martin defends Coldplay’s Jumbotron Song after scandal, assuring fans the concert segment will remain a staple despite recent controversy.

The controversy Martin referenced occurred during Coldplay’s Boston concert in July.

Source : Instagram

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has clarified that the band’s popular Jumbotron Song segment is here to stay, even after it sparked controversy during a recent show. Speaking to fans at Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour stop in England, Martin dismissed speculation that the band would scrap the act.

“This is not, never will be and never was a kiss cam,” he told the audience. “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. Sometimes they turn out to be an internationally, massive scandal, sure. But most of the time, we’re just trying to say hello to some f**king people, that’s all.”

Coldplay Concert The Boston Incident

The controversy Martin referenced occurred during Coldplay’s Boston concert in July. At the time, the big screen caught former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and the company’s head of HR, Kristin Cabot. Their awkward reactions prompted Martin to joke, “Uh oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

The clip quickly went viral, and the fallout was swift—both Byron and Cabot later left the tech company following an internal probe.

Why the Segment Will Continue

Despite the uproar, Martin made it clear that the playful tradition won’t be dropped from Coldplay’s setlist anytime soon. “Life throws you lemons, and you’ve got to make lemonade. So, we are going to keep doing it because we are going to meet some of you,” he explained.

He even joked about how fans could handle the attention: “If you’re not prepared to be on international news, please duck. We send pure love to those people.”

A Fan-Favorite Staple

Coldplay first introduced the Jumbotron bit in Singapore last year, turning it into an interactive concert moment where Martin improvises lyrics about audience members on the screen. Despite the Boston incident turning it into tabloid fodder, the segment has since become a crowd favorite—and, as Martin has made clear, it isn’t going anywhere.