AJ McLean is sharing how Liam Payne will be honored on their upcoming show months after the One Direction alum's tragic death.

Payne as well as Kelly Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger worked as judges alongside McLean as host on the new singing competition series Building the Band and got to know each other more on a personal level while filming the show. At 90s Con in March, the Backstreet Boys singer remembered his late co-worker and how they bonded over similar struggles they each faced throughout their lives, per People.

"The very last thing Liam did was work on this amazing TV show for Netflix called Building the Band, which will be out this summer. And we're dedicating the show to him," he said at the time, adding, "I got to really know him on a personal level and we had a lot of very similar life experiences, both in sobriety and out of sobriety."

Payne died October 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while under the influence. After his death, it was unclear how Building the Band would move forward in Payne's absence. However, Netflix confirmed last week that he will still appear as a judge when the show airs later this summer, People reports. A source told the outlet that Payne was "fulfilled" by his time on Building the Band and was looking forward to working with the bands after the show ended.

A premiere date for Building the Band has not been announced.

Jeff Stevens

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