Netflix’s Secret Move in Liam Payne’s Final TV Role Leaves Fans Stunned—Tribute Unveiled

Does grief change the way we tell stories, or merely the way we watch them? I’ve spent years trawling through Netflix drops and reality TV launches, but even I wasn’t quite prepared for today’s twist: one final curtain call for Liam Payne, yet not the grand sendoff every fan might expect . Netflix’s new show, Building the Band, could’ve been any other “build-a-popstar” romp except for the emotional gut-punch—Liam’s last ever on-screen appearance, released after his shocking death at just 31 . Picture it: Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, and even a Backstreet Boy in the lineup, everyone scrambling to assemble a band—with an undercurrent of loss that’s impossible to shake . But here’s the kicker—Netflix edited down Payne’s scenes, navigating a tightrope of respect, family wishes, and fan expectations . Was this an act of love or just a PR minefield? I’ll let you be the judge, but wow—somehow, a show about making music just became a discourse on how we honor the end of a song . LEARN MORE

Netflix made a major change to Liam Payne’s final TV role, which released today, as they issued a tribute to the late One Direction singer.

Payne, who died in October of last year, will make his last ever on-screen appearance in Building the Band.

Released today, the show is a Netflix reality series centred around finding the members of a new band as guided and decided by celebrity judges.

He appears alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland as a host/mentor, with AJ McLean hosting the TV series.

The premiere episode opens with a tribute to Payne, who died after an accidental fall at a hotel in Argentina.

The tribute sees host McLean, a member of the Backstreet Boys, 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’s through that spirit that we dedicate this series to Liam and his family.”

Despite the sweet tribute which preceded the show, many fans were unhappy with changes made to this series.

This came following reports that we would see a reduced role in the Netflix show following his death.

One viral Reddit post complained about how they felt that it was a decision made for the fans, stating that in actual fact ‘they would want to see Liam’s last project that he loved doing.’

This was quickly debunked, however, with fans pointing to reports stating that the change was made alongside Payne’s family.

He died aged just 31 (Mike Marsland via Getty Images)

The Sun said, via an anonymous source close to the show: “The feeling among execs at Netflix is that they want to err on the side of caution, and if that means having Liam in the least amount of scenes possible then that’s the step they’re willing to take.

“They want to strike the right balance between having him feature in the show, doing the thing he loved, with having him feature too much, which would be a lot for his loved ones to contend with.”

His family have also spoken out about the show dispelling rumours that they were upset with it.

Liam’s Dad Geoff, alongside his wife Karen, reportedly gave a green light to the series say they stated it was ‘how [they] want everyone to remember’ the late One Direction singer.

Co-host Nicole Scherzinger spoke to Access Hollywood, saying: “Liam meant and means so much to all of us, and we were very obviously sensitive to the whole process.”

She stated that they ‘ultimately left it into his family’s hands’ and looked to ‘respect how they felt about everything and how to move forward.’

Building the Band is available to watch on Netflix now.