Liam Payne is given a heartbreaking tribute at the start of new Netflix series Building The Band which was filmed before his tragic death.
The singer will make a posthumous appearance as a judge in the talent show, filmed before he died aged 31 in October, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.
The 10-part series will see talented singers vie for a chance to form the next great band, unseen in a similar vein to The Voice.
Contestants will audition each other to form their own band while all sat in individual Love Is Blind-esque booths so they can’t see each other.
And joining Liam on the judging panel is Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger and Destiny’s Child star Kelly Rowland, while Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean will host.
Before the competition starts, show host AJ appears on screen with the tribute.
Liam Payne is given a heartbreaking tribute at the start of new Netflix series Building The Band which was filmed before his tragic death
Before the competition starts, show host Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean (left) appears on screen with the tribute
AJ says: ‘When we came together to film Building The Band, we never imagined we’d soon be saying goodbye to our friend, Liam Payne.
‘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 is through that spirit that we dedicate this series to Liam and his family.’
Liam will only appear from episode seven onwards, alongside fellow guest judge Kelly Rowland.
The show’s first four episodes will launch on July 9, with new episodes set to roll out every Wednesday over the course of 10 episodes.
‘Building the Band brings together talented singers for a truly unique competition show where building the perfect band is all about chemistry,’ the show’s official synopsis reads.
‘The singers are in complete control as they seek to form their very own bands in individual “booths” without ever seeing each other.
‘All they have to go on is musical compatibility, connection, chemistry and merit. What will happen when the bands finally meet, and looks, choreography, and style come into play?
The singer will make a posthumous appearance as a judge in the talent show, filmed before he died aged 31 in October, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires
The 10-part series will see talented singers vie for a chance to form the next great band, unseen in a similar vein to The Voice
And joining Liam on the judging panel is Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger and Destiny’s Child star Kelly Rowland, while Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean will host
‘With incredible performances, compelling drama, and one big goal — to find the next great music band —t he stage is set for an unforgettable experience.’
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The celebrity mentors will bring their ‘unparalleled expertise and personal band experience to the competition’.
Netflix finished filming the show prior to Liam’s sudden death and has since confirmed that his family reviewed the series and is supportive of his inclusion.
Last month, a source told The Sun that his family were shown the entire series in advance and have ‘given it their blessing’ before adding that Netflix worked ‘very closely’ with Liam’s family to ensure the tone of the final cut was right.
They said: ‘Liam was on great form at filming so everyone’s pleased fans will get to see the ‘real’ him one last time. It will be bittersweet when the show is released.
‘Netflix have gone out of their way to make sure his family are happy. Producers sent them the footage so they are fully aware of what to expect and they have given it their blessing.’
In January, Liam’s cause of death was officially ruled as ‘polytrauma’ – a term used to describe multiple traumatic injuries sustained by the body.
Last month, a source told The Sun that his family were shown the entire series in advance and have ‘given it their blessing’ before adding that Netflix worked ‘very closely’ with Liam’s family to ensure the tone of the final cut was right
The celebrity mentors will bring their ‘unparalleled expertise and personal band experience to the competition’
He had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of ‘up to 2.7 grams per litre in his blood’, according to the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 14.
This is more than three times the legal driving limit in England and Wales, which is 0.08, meaning he would have been severely impaired in the moments before his fatal fall.
A BAC of 2.7 grams per liter (0.27%) is extremely high, with medical experts warning that such levels can lead to confusion, disorientation, and dizziness.
According to Alcohol.org, a BAC above 0.3% can result in alcohol poisoning, and anything above 0.4% could be fatal.
In addition to alcohol, the toxicology report found traces of several substances in Liam’s system, including ‘cocaine metabolites, methylecgonine, benzoylecgomine, cocaethylene, and the antidepressant sertraline,’ which is often prescribed for anxiety and depression.