Netflix Will Continue ‘Building the Band’ Series After Liam Payne’s Death Halted Production

Last summer, Netflix launched production on Building the Band, an upcoming competition series that assembles a new band without the members meeting until it was time to hit the stage. The streaming service recruited a slate of judges including Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland, Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger, and One Direction‘s Liam Payne. Having actually been thrown into a boyband with four strangers, Payne brought a particular expertise to the show. However, production was halted following his death in October. Now, Netflix is clearing a path to move forward.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix hosted a “special presentation” about the series in Los Angeles. During the event, Netflix Vice President of Nonfiction Series and Sports Brandon Riegg said Payne’s family has been involved in ongoing conversations about how the singer’s role in the show will be handled. Netflix reportedly never had plans to scrap the series, which also features Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean as a host.

“Liam was a friend. We had just finished filming a TV show together,” McLean told TMZ last year. Payne died at the age of 31 after falling from the third floor balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires. “We spent six weeks together and it’s absolutely tragic. I’m still processing it,” McLean added. “It’s absolutely tragic, and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone — the family, his bandmates, to the fans.“

In the wake of Payne’s death, former singing competition series contestants opened up about the conditions they faced on series like The X Factor. Rebecca Ferguson, who competed on the same season as One Direction, said she believed “he would be alive today” if he hadn’t auditioned for the show.

Building the Band attempts to flip the singing competition formula on its head by removing the element of vanity — but only for the competing members.

“Featuring a group of uniquely talented singers, Building the Band takes face-to-face encounters out of the musical equation,” a synopsis published in August reads. “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.”

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More details about Building the Band will be shared at a later time.

Around the time the series was announced, Simon Cowell — who played a role in forming One Direction on The X Factor, as did Scherzinger — unveiled plans to film a documentary series searching for the next big boy band. “Every generation deserves a megastar boyband and I don’t think there has been one to have the success of One Direction in over 14 years,” he said at the time. “The industry tends to focus on solo artists – so it usually takes someone from outside to put a group together.”

The status of his project similarly remains unclear. Open call auditions were hosted across the UK in August with Box to Box Films attached to produce. When Payne died, Cowell revealed that they had met “just to sit and talk” around a year prior. “We reminisced about all of the fun times we had together,” he said. “I can see the effect you had on so many people. You left us too soon. Rest in peace my friend.”