The Netflix show opens immediately with a tribute to the late singer by host AJ McLean, and it serves as one of many emotional tributes to Payne that have come after his death. He addresses the fact that the show was filmed before Payne passed away in October,

Netflix’s “Building the Band” paid tribute to Liam Payne during episode 1. Payne, who died at age 31 in October 2024, posthumously appears as a judge on the reality competition series. At the start of the premiere episode, host AJ McLean acknowledged Payne’s death.

AJ McLean revealed he kept a recording of his final conversation with his late 'Building the Band' costar Liam Payne. "I've not deleted it. I've kept it on my phone as a constant reminder of who he was.

Netflix made a major change to Liam Payne's final TV role as the show opens with a tribute to the late One Direction singer

Netflix 's new series Building the Band has been dedicated to the late Liam Payne and will feature a special tribute to the singer. The upcoming show, in which 50 singers compete from individual pods to form a band without seeing each other, sees Payne take on judging duties alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland.

The 10-part musical competition show “Building the Band” was released by Netflix on Wednesday after the streaming giant says Payne’s family was consulted and is “supportive of his inclusion.” Host AJ Mclean dedicated the entire series to Payne and his family.