Despite the former One Direction member’s tragic passing, Payne’s family has reviewed and fully supports his presence in the show, which promises to captivate audiences with its unique musical journey. Although Payne does not appear in the initial sneak peek released on Wednesday, Netflix confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that his contributions as a guest judge in the series, produced by Remarkable Entertainment from Banijay U.K., have been retained. Payne tragically lost his life after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires in October 2024, leaving his family and show producers to grapple with the possibility of including him in Building The Band. Ultimately, they opted to honor his contributions, as confirmed by Netflix: “Liam Payne’s family reviewed the series and is supportive of his inclusion.”
Alongside Payne, the show features Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean as the host, while Nicole Scherzinger of The Pussycat Dolls takes on the role of mentor-judge. Additionally, Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland joins as a guest judge, adding further star power to the lineup.
Before his untimely death at the age of 31, Payne had been slated to join the judging panel for this groundbreaking music competition, which was filmed in August 2024 at Manchester’s Aviva Studios. The initial footage of Building The Band keeps the circumstances of Payne’s passing discreet, offering no hints on how producers have adapted the series in light of his absence.
The innovative format challenges musicians to compete for a coveted spot in a new band, practicing in isolation without visual contact before finally performing live a test of true musical connection.
