Netflix's "Building the Band" Dedicates Series to Liam Payne: "We Never Imagined We’d Be Saying Goodbye"

The new Netflix competition series “Building the Band” has been dedicated to the guest host Liam Payne, who passed away in October. 

In the premiere episode of the series, host AJ McLean honors the One Direction member, who will make his first posthumous appearance in later episodes, which is set to arrive next week.

“When we came together to film ‘Building the Band,’ we never imagined we’d soon be saying goodbye to our friend Liam Payne,” McLean said at the beginning of the episode. “Liam is a guest judge in later episodes, and through his presence, we see his deep love for music and his unwavering commitment to helping others find their voice. It’s through that spirit that we dedicate this series to Liam and his family.”

The late pop star served as a guest judge alongside Kelly Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger. Payne began filming his scenes for “Building the Band” in the summer of 2024, with filming wrapping in August, according to Deadline.

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Scherzinger said she’s “thrilled for everyone to see Liam shine” on the show. “I know that he was in his happy place.”

“Building the Band” is a reality show and singing competition show that prioritizes personal chemistry between the band members. 

The singers speak to each other through a wall — in the style of Netflix’s dating series, “Love Is Blind” — until they finally meet face-to-face and grow and test their musical compatibility.

The first four episodes of “Building the Band” are available to stream now. Three more will release on July 16, with the final set of episodes premiering on July 23.