Liam Payne's tragic last TV appearance to air after filming in Manchester two months before death

Liam Payne will feature in a new Netflix talent competition series as a guest judge alongside Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland, which will air months on from his death.

The former One Direction star tragically died aged 31 in October 2024. He fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Argentina. Earlier this month, his medical cause of death was confirmed in a UK inquest opening as "polytrauma", meaning multiple traumatic injuries.

Building The Band, which brings together singers to form bands without seeing each other, was announced in September by the streaming giant, before Payne died in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Rehearsals for the show were seen taking place in Manchester in August.

The music megastars involved in the show were all spotted enjoying Manchester's nightlife on breaks from rehearsals before the talent show was filmed at the city's landmark new arts venue, the £240m Aviva Studios.

Netflix has now confirmed the show will go ahead, with former Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger taking on the mentor and judge role, while Liam and Kelly will appear as guest judges in the show, which features a similar concept to Love Is Blind with contestants kept in separate booths.

The streaming giant confirmed the show would air as it revealed its 2025 slate of releases across TV and film. Nicola was a judge on The X Factor when Payne auditioned in 2010 and helped to form boy band One Direction on the show.

Building The Band was one of the last projects from the former One Direction star, along with the track Do No Wrong with North Carolina singer Sam Pounds.

In November, Payne’s funeral took place in Buckinghamshire and was attended by Cheryl, the mother to his son Bear, as well as fellow One Direction stars Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Argentina is continuing to investigate the circumstances around Payne’s death at the Casa Sur Hotel. Five people were later charged over his death, including the singer’s friend Roger Nores, the hotel’s manager, and a receptionist – who were all accused of manslaughter. Two others, a hotel employee and a waiter, have been charged with supplying cocaine, Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office previously said in a statement.

An hearing was held by Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court in December to ascertain how Payne died. It has been adjourned until a pre-inquest review on November 6.