Netflix Reveals First Look at ‘Building The Band’ Series, Confirms Liam Payne Guest Judge Role

Netflix will debut its Building The Band talent discovery series on July 9 with the late Liam Payne included as a guest judge.

The first look clip for Building The Band that dropped on Wednesday (below) does not feature the former One Direction singer, but Netflix has confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Payne will appear in the competition series.

Payne fell to his death from the balcony of a hotel room in Buenos Aires in October 2024.

Following his untimely death, the show’s producers and Payne’s grieving family were weighing Payne’s inclusion in the series. Ultimately, they have decided to move forward with Payne remaining in the series from Remarkable Entertainment, which is part of Banijay U.K.

“Liam Payne’s family reviewed the series and is supportive of his inclusion,” Netflix said in a statement.

The series is hosted by Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean, with Nicole Scherzinger (The Pussycat Dolls) serving as mentor-judge and Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland also serving as a guest judge.

Before his tragic death at the age of 31, Payne was named to the judging panel for the music competition series and took part in the August 2024 production of the show at the Aviva Studios event space in Manchester, England.

The first look clip unveiled for Building The Band does not directly mention Payne or indicate what adjustments were made by the producers to address his loss. The series format has musicians competing for a role in a band and while they rehearsed together, they never see one another until they perform in front of a live audience.

The clip for the series shows singers secluded from one another in individual booths, listening to one another and having to weigh musical compatibility, connection, chemistry and merit without seeing anyone face to face.

“What will happen when the bands finally meet, and looks, choreography and style come into play? With incredible performances, compelling drama, and one big goal — to find the next great music band — the stage is set for an unforgettable experience,” the producers of the series said in a synopsis.

The Netflix series, to run over three weeks (two episodes release on July 9, July 16 and July 23), is executive produced by Cat Lawson, Alison Holloway, Katrina Morrison, Clara Elliot and Simon Crossley.