Liam Payne is going to be a judge on a new Netflix talent show called Building the Band. The series was filmed over the summer of 2024, a few months before the One Direction singer tragically died after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.

Building the Band is a singing competition – a bit like The X Factor, which One Direction formed on. Liam Payne is one of the judges, alongside Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls and Kelly Rowland from Destiny’s Child. AJ McLean from Backstreet Boys is the presenter. Nicole Scherzinger was a judge on The X Factor back in 2010, when Liam Payne and One Direction were on the show.

Netflix viewers were unsure of what would happen to the show after Liam Payne’s death. But Netflix has now confirmed Building the Band will be released sometime in 2025.

One Direction on The X Factor back in 2010
(Image via ITV)

Contestants who hope to make it big in the music industry are kept in separate booths, meet each other without seeing each other, then form a band. It’s a bit like the booths in Love Is Blind. Three live shows were filmed in August 2024 at Aviva Studios in Manchester.

The synopsis on Netflix’s site Tudum reads: “Featuring a group of uniquely talented singers, Building the Band takes face-to-face encounters out of the musical equation. Instead, the contestants will find their perfect bandmates based on compatibility, connection, and, most importantly, merit.

“And when the bands finally do meet, how will looks, choreography, and style come into play? Expect plenty of drama, next-level artistry, and unforgettable performances.”