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Tragic Liam Payne given heartbreaking tribute at start of Netflix's Building the Band – but there's bad news for fans
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NETFLIX talent contest Building The Band kicks off with a special dedication to the memory of the late Liam Payne and his family.
Before the competition starts, show host and Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean, appears on screen to pay tribute to the One Direction star.
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Netflix talent contest Building The Band kicks off with a special dedication to the memory of the late Liam Payne
Credit: BackGrid
Featuring as a guest judge on the programme was one of Liam's final projects before he tragically fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Argentina, aged just 31, in October last year.
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.'
Building The Band, which features Nicole Scherzinger as the main judge and mentor, will begin to drop on the streaming giant next Wednesday after Liam's loved ones signed off on his scenes in the show.
But fans hoping to see him straight away in the ten-part season will be disappointed as he will only appear from episode seven onwards alongside fellow guest judge Kelly Rowland.
The first batch of four, hour-long episodes will land next week, followed by another three on July 16. The remaining three episodes will go out on July 23.
It was a bittersweet moment for fans of Liam and One Direction last week when Netflix dropped the trailer for the show, and featured him extensively throughout.
Filmed last August, he is seen coaching a wannabe band, telling them: 'You've got a lot of work to do vocally — I need to feel that connection between you guys.'
In another moment, he seemingly refers to his own One Direction past when he comments on the show's selection process.
Building the Band: First Look, Netflix
It sees 50 musicians having to form six pop groups — choosing their bandmates through voice and compatibility alone, without seeing them.
One Direction were formed on The X Factor in 2010, although the five bandmates got to meet each other before the group was put together.
On Building The Band, Liam says: 'How these bands are put together is not normal — we were not put together that way.'
Toff love with Downton back
LADY Mary finds herself firmly in the spotlight in the final outing of Downton Abbey – only this time she's a figure of scandal.
The toff, played by Michelle Dockery, is seen increasingly taking over the reins of the estate from her father, Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville).
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Lady Mary is a figure of scandal in the final outing of Downton Abbey
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As a divorcee Lady Mary first has to navigate the prejudices of polite society
But as divorcee she first has to navigate the prejudices of polite society, particularly a fellow aristocrat played by Joely Richardson.
The action in the third and final film, out in September and subtitled The Grand Finale, takes us from the stately home to London's West End and a day out at the races.
As the Downton estate faces an uncertain future, the Earl is seen in the trailer asking his wife what his dearly departed mother would have done in his situation.
And he's heard saying: 'It's hard to accept that it's time to go.'
I think we can all agree on that.
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The toff, played by Michelle Dockery, is seen increasingly taking over the reins of the estate from her father, Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville)
A good Cause for gags
WHEN Alan Carr and Daisy May Cooper stepped down from ITV quiz show Password, fans worried it might not deliver quite the same volume of laughs.
But they need not stress, because I can reveal that Strictly Come Dancing funnyman Chris McCausland has stepped into the breach.
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Chris McCausland has filled the void on ITV's Password
Credit: PA
Chris, who last year took home the glitterball trophy on the BBC One contest, will be one of the panel of celebrities that try to help out contestants.
Just like his time on the Strictly dancefloor, Chris is guaranteed to combine being competitive with delivering plenty of giggles along the way.
And contestants will be hoping that some of Chris's success will rub off on them.
After all, the last final of Password had a jackpot of £10,000 up for grabs.
In for a Laing one
DISNEY+ is making a reality show with Made In Chelsea's Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo – who is expecting their first child – as they tackle parenthood.
It says Jamie and Sophie: Raising Chelsea will take viewers on 'a no-holds-barred whirlwind journey of the next chapter in their lives.'
Heatwave the pits for Luke
LUKE HAMNETT, the TikToker pal of former Love Islander Maura Higgins, is fast becoming a star himself, with slots on the show's spin-off programme Aftersun.
And now he has launched a podcast with his mum, Jan.
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Luke Hamnett has launched a podcast with his mum
Credit: Getty
But it doesn't sound like the showbiz world has gone to his head yet.
On the first episode of Live, Laugh, Luke, he said: 'I went to the TV Baftas and I wore this brown suit and a vest and it was so f***ing hot. At points I was getting a napkin and dabbing my pits.'
On this week's episode, he told his powerful coming-out story to mark Pride month.
Luke was horrifically bullied for his sexuality at school.
He said: 'People's stories are very different. But it was the best thing that happened to me because it made me be my true self.'
Traitors feel the tension
LOTS of whispers are leaking out about the upcoming series of The Celebrity Traitors, which has already been filmed and looks set to air on BBC One in September.
Apparently emotions run surprisingly high on the show, hosted once more by Claudia Winkleman, even though many of the stars are no strangers to taking part in telly contests.
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Apparently emotions run surprisingly high on Claudia Winkleman's Celebrity Traitors
Credit: PA
Things start off friendly, with the contestants comfortable in each other's company having known one another for years.
But tensions quickly rise as the competition intensifies.
I can reveal that, behind the scenes, one of the celebrities was particularly cross about being voted off.
Another actually bursts into tears when they are shown the door.
And that person struggles to hold it together as they deliver their departing speech and inform the other contestants whether they are a traitor or not.
I can tease that it's not the kind of star who is known for being a fragile soul, either.
And the other competitors are rather surprised when they dissolve into tears.
Literally counting down the weeks now . . .
New job for Dob
SHE is fresh from her turn as a ghostly Angie Watts in EastEnders 40th anniversary episode and playing a baddie in the most recent series of Doctor Who.
Now Anita Dobson is preparing for Channel 5 drama Play For Today.
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Anita Dobson is preparing for Channel 5 drama Play For Today
Credit: Getty
But it's meant facing something far more spooky than Albert Square or The Tardis – learning lines.
Anita, who's been married to Queen legend Brian May for almost 25 years, told me: 'These days it's an absolute nightmare. It never gets better and the older you get the harder it gets.
'But if you've got a gut feeling about something and you've got a good team behind you, then you just have to put the work in.'
At 76, hardworking Anita is putting us all to shame.
