Netflix fans moved by Liam Payne tribute in new Building The Band series
The late One Direction star – who died aged 31 in Argentina last October – posthumously appears in Netflix's new singing reality competition show as a guest judge.
The series is hosted by Backstreet Boys icon AJ McLean and Payne is joined in the judging panel by Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland as 50 music artists battle it out in individual sound booths to form the ultimate band. Think Love Is Blind meets The X Factor.
All 10 episodes have just landed on the streaming platform with fans wondering how exactly the show would address the unexpected death of the Teardrops hitmaker.
Especially after reports that there were plans to cut down on Payne's presence in the show.
Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
At the start of the first episode, McLean addresses the audience with a powerful message.
'When we came together to film building the band we never imagined we'd soon be saying goodbye to our friend Liam Payne,' he begins as it fades out to a series of images and clips of the singer on the show.
McLean continues: '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.'
The bittersweet message then comes to an end as we launch straight into the episode.
Fans are now sharing how much the season-opening dedication has meant to them.
'5 seconds in and I'm already sobbing. The tribute to Liam,' maryam wrote on X.
'Omg!! A tribute, I'm crying already, Liam, you're loved so much,' BrisLiam shared.
'Just started Building The Band on Netflix but didn't think I would cry at the first second when they talked about Liam, it will be so hard to watch it knowing he is not here anymore,' Jo echoed.
'I am genuinely not ready to see him on my screen,' Lizzie2031843 added.
OT5loveupdate called it 'such a beautiful dedication' and Liamssunsetter shared a heartbreak emoji.
In an interview with Hollywood Reporter last month, McLean described the new series as 'unlike any other show out there'.
The I Want it That Way charttopper then spoke about looking back on the show since Payne's death.
'It was a little hard to watch because I hadn't seen it until now,' he explained. 'I just know that the way he is being remembered and honoured is hopefully done as beautiful as we see it.
'And we got the ok from his family and I hope that the fans get to remember him the way that he was which is just a light, a genuine spirit.
'He wore his heart on his sleeve, he's stupidly talented, funny as all hell, had a great sense of humour and just a joy to work with. This is just a great, positive way for the world to remember him.' More Trending
Executive producer Cat Lawson added that 'we all loved [Liam] and he was amazing in the show.'
His death deeply impacted the Building the Band team who had all grown close with one another.
'You get to know people really quickly [on these shows] and he was a glorious person,' she said.
View More »
Building The Band is available to stream on Netflix now.
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
MORE: Netflix 'masterpiece' breaks another record with 106,000,000 views in just 12 days
MORE: I'm a TV critic and this week I'm bingeing a jaw-dropping series
MORE: Netflix thriller reveals major TV return for 'underrated' Hollywood legend after 6 years
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
23 minutes ago
- Metro
'Spicy' thriller tops Netflix chart after being binged for 56,900,000 hours
Non-English TV series are continuing to take Netflix by storm, with the latest chart-topping thriller drawing in millions of views in a matter of days. First released on July 30, Unspeakable Sins is a Spanish revenge drama about a woman who finds solace in the company of a younger man and embarks on an affair. Zuria Vega takes the lead as Helena, who conjures up a plan with a lover to escape her controlling husband, taking their troubled son with her. But she soon becomes dangerously entangled with secrets, lies, and Mexico's elite, as her act of vengeance outside her loveless marriage gets twisted into a perilous fight for survival. Other cast members include Erik Hayser, who plays powerful, abusive husband Claudio, while Andrés Baida plays Iván, who aids Helena in filing for divorce after a months-long steamy tryst. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. With 18 episodes, Unspeakable Sins promises plenty of salacious scheming, and you can be sure you're in safe hands with creator Leticia López Margalli, who's also the mastermind behind Netflix's Oscuro deseo. In the short time since its streaming debut, Unspeakable Sins has been watched for 56.9million hours in total, sending it rocketing to number one on the charts. And it's proven a hit with viewers, too, who are flooding social media with spicy reviews. X user @LoveReality9 described the series as 'addictive', already demanding a second season. 'Unspeakable Sins is extremely [spicy emojis] and addictive full of action taboo subjects full of mystery and one incredible ending of season one that will leave you with more questions! Every single time I got answers to my questions I had more questions', they wrote. '@netflix must renew it for a second season! Just WOW! This season is totally binge worthy!' 'Intense series. Loved it', added @david_clark34. Also heaping praise on the Spanish thriller, @katyanna25 posted: 'I can never get bored watching spanish shows. Almost always the same plot, but they always keep you hooked. #UnspeakableSins is one of them.' Taken aback by the show's explicit nature, @1Liasonfan wrote: 'I'm on episode 5, the sex scenes are def spicy, wow. The plot is not bad too. I can't turn away'. Others declared that the show has given them their new 'favourite villian', while many were left hot and bothered by the sexual scenes. In fact, @MelikhayaL3006 compared the show to porn, as @_Keshaye joked that things keep getting 'crazier and crazier'. And just in case all of that has still left you in need of some convincing, allow Netflix's Tudum to spill some more hints about what to expect. 'Their flirtation instantly explodes into a steamy tryst. Months later, the unlikely pair are in a relationship worth fighting for and must find a way for Helena to escape her abusive marriage to the rich and powerful Claudio (Hayser). 'When Iván suggests that he seduce Claudio, Helena's husband, on a hidden camera to give Helena enough leverage to file for an advantageous divorce, she jumps at the chance to free herself and her teenage son from Claudio's grip. 'But what starts as a seemingly foolproof plan quickly spirals out of control when Claudio can't take no for an answer, and the ensuing brawl exposes Helena and Iván's scheme. 'Helena arrives in the bloody aftermath only to find her husband missing, her lover on the run, and her son at the scene of the crime—without any memory of how he got there.' Tudum adds: 'As police flood the crime scene, Helena scrambles to cover up her and Iván's involvement and to protect her son from becoming an accidental fall guy. 'As she fends off the police, Claudio's adult children from his previous marriage, and Claudio's powerful business associates, Helena's already complicated life becomes a brutal fight for survival.' Non-English series have long been popular on the streaming platform, with season 3 of South Korean dystopian survival thriller Squid Game still flying high. More Trending Having dropped its final instalment on June 27, it's still attracting almost three million views weekly, having spent six weeks in Netflix's top 10 and charted in 60 countries. Other high-performing non-English programmes currently include South Korean action thriller Trigger, anime series My Melody & Kuromi, and South African crime thriller miniseries Marked. View More » Unspeakable Sins is available to watch on Netflix. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: British girl,11, dies after drowning in swimming pool on holiday in Spain MORE: 'I hid behind a chair': Your favourite TV thrillers that scared you stiff MORE: Cancel your weekend plans and binge this 'creepy' supernatural drama for free
Daily Mail
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Western series dubbed the 'greatest ever' and a '10/10 masterpiece' finally hits Netflix after scooping string of awards
A Western series that's been dubbed the 'greatest ever' has finally landed on Netflix after wowing viewers and scooping awards. It's just the latest title to land on the streaming giant that Wild West fans can tuck into at their pleasure. The miniseries - called Godless - was released in 2017 and set in 1984, following a gang who set out on a ruthless pursuit of a man. Jeff Daniels plays the lead role of Frank Giffin, who is the group's kingpin. Jack O'Connell portrays Roy Goode, a former protege of the gang who betrayed the brotherhood. While on the run in a bid to save his life, wounded Roy seeks refuge in a small mining town in New Mexico. He ends up living with a widow and a town outcast, before the gang eventually catch up with him. Also starring in the series are Alice Fletcher, Whitey Winn, Mary Agnes, Bill McNue, Ed Logan, Callie Dunne and Louise Hobbs. Godless has been praised by western fans and has a respectable 83% Rotten Tomatoes score, while boasting an IMDb rating of 8.2/10. The show bagged three Lifetime Emmy Awards in 2018, with Jeff Daniels walking away with the gong for Outstanding Supporting Actor. Carlos Rafael Rivera, who composed Godless' theme tune, also scooped an award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music. Reviewing the hit, one fan said they stayed up to binge the show in just one sitting, while another said it was the 'best Western' they'd ever seen. They wrote: 'Stayed up all night binging godless and it was so worth it. A 10/10 masterpiece.' A second said: 'Godless is, without a doubt, one of the best Western series I've ever seen. It has that vintage, classic feel that captures the essence of the Wild West while delivering a fresh, captivating story.' A third commented: 'This is one of the best series on Netflix, what acting and what execution. It kept me glued although it is very hard to binge watch as episodes are long. 'Managed to finish it in two days but what series, I absolutely loved it, the atmosphere created about the brutality of Frank Griffin and how he meets his nemesis is a brilliant work done by the Godless team, dialogues are great and character build up flawless. You won't regret watching this one, it's worth every minute spent. Fabulous.' A fourth remarked: 'A fresh take on the American Western, capturing a much deeper view of the frontier than usual, and all that entails — from religion and war, to love and hate, to bravery, savagery, and crushing heartache. 'Cinematography is spectacular, score is excellent, and acting is top notch…Wever, Daniels, Dockery, O'Connell, Brodie-Sangster, McNairy….my goodness, if you're not a fan of any of these artists yet, you will be after this. Ms Cardinal continues to make everything she's in better.' The critics also appear to agree, with The Guardian writing: 'Godless is grim, exciting and visually arresting. It's slow, but necessarily so, patiently offering vital exposition while its classic, western plot unfurls itself violently.'
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Meghan Markle left 'in tears' over Prince William's brutal 'bullying' statement
Buckingham Palace issued a joint statement about 'bullying' that left Meghan in tears and Harry furious. It's safe to say that Prince Harry and Prince William haven't seen eye-to-eye recently. The estranged royal brothers have carved out their separate lives on opposite sides of the Atlantic since the Sussexes stepped down from royal life after they married. And in the Sussexes' controversial Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, the couple took aim at William. The series recalls a point that Harry claims left him furious and his wife in floods of tears. The issue came when Harry did not give his permission for a joint palace statement to be put out dismissing bullying claims, reports the Mirror. It comes as Harry and Meghan's latest attempt to "build bridges and move on" has backfired, according to a leading royal expert. Speaking over clips of the brothers playing in an old fire truck and newspaper headlines about the acrimony in their relationship in episode five, Harry said in the show: "I mean, the saddest part of it was this wedge created between me and my brother so that he's now on the institution's side. "And I get, part of that I get. I understand right? That's his inheritance, so to some extent it's already ingrained in him that part of his responsibility is the survivability and the continuation of this institution. "That day, a story came out that part of the reason why Meghan and I were leaving was because William had bullied us out. And once I got in the car after the meeting, I was told about a joint statement that had been put out in my name and my brother's name squashing the story about him bullying us out of the family. "I couldn't believe it. No one had asked me permission to put my name to a statement like that. And I rang M and I told her and she burst into floods of tears because within four hours they were happy to lie to protect my brother and yet for three years, they were never willing to tell the truth to protect us." It comes as King Charles and Harry's senior aides held a secret peace summit in London last month, said to be the first notable step in in a 'rapprochement process' where broken bonds can finally heal. The Mail on Sunday revealed that Meredith Maines, the Duke of Sussexes' chief communications officer, flew in from LA to meet Tobyn Andreae, the King's communications secretary, at the members-only Royal Over-Seas League club, which is located near Clarence House, the King's London residence. Prince Harry's UK PR team lead, Liam Maguire, was also present. A source told the publication: "There's a long road ahead, but a channel of communication is now open for the first time in year. There was no formal agenda, just casual drinks. There were things both sides wanted to talk about." While Prince William's team were reportedly not invited to the shock summit, experts have revealed the hidden role he will have likely played behind the scenes as the future of the monarchy. They claim that while William is far less inclined to reconcile with his estranged brother, whom he's reportedly not spoken to in years, the meeting would have never happened without his 'support and understanding'. "He has undoubtedly been furious at the way the Sussexes have behaved and undoubtedly regards Harry's behaviour as treason of a sort. They reportedly have not spoken in over two years.' And royal author Phil Dampier said: "The King is more anxious to patch things up than William, who I believe will never be close to his brother again." Harry is due to head back to the UK in September for the annual WellChild events, an opportunity which could see him reunite with his dad for the first time in 18 months. But William doesn't appear to have any plans to see his brother, despite the peace talks. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
