We have some really mixed news for Liam Payne fans.
The good first. It turns out the One Direction alum had completed filming the premiere season of a brand new TV show! Between this and his unreleased album, Liam fans may still have a lot coming from their fave despite his untimely death.
That’s good, right? Well… It is if Netflix decides to release it…
OK, so the show is called Building The Band. It’s a real X Factor type singing competition show, only it’s specifically focused on creating boy bands and girl groups. The hosts were all members of groups — Liam from 1D, AJ McLean from The Backstreet Boys, Kelly Rowland from Destiny’s Child, and Nicole Scherzinger from The Pussycat Dolls. It’s especially meaningful to have Nicole and Liam together — since she was the one who first suggested putting One Direction together all those years ago.
Related: BBC Journalist Calls Liam Payne A ‘Drugged-Up Faded Boyband Singer’! WTF!
It sounds like a cool idea for a show in general. But will it get to exist at all?
It seems like a no-brainer to us. Obviously we’d LOVE to see more Liam, especially happy and productive Liam. And from a purely cynical business perspective, look at what 1D albums are doing on the charts right now! People want more Liam in their lives as they mourn!
But TMZ has learned Netflix might not feel the same. Producers told the outlet they were “shocked and saddened” to hear about Liam’s passing. But they aren’t about to decide to schedule the show because of it. They said it’s “too soon” to make a decision, citing the emotional distress Liam’s costars are going through. AJ said on Monday he was “still processing it.” Nicole, who had known the Strip That Down singer for so long, wrote a lengthy tribute — revealing she’d been texting him the very day he died.
We mean, we get protecting everyone’s feelings. They’d be expected to promote it when it was about to come out, which would hurt. Do they really want to do that anytime soon?
But to not release it at all…? Pull a Zaslav and just disappear the show for the tax writeoff money? Liam’s last ever content, filmed back in August?? Come on, that would be devastating. Not to mention unfair. We’re sure Liam worked hard on the show — and would want everyone to see it. Wouldn’t you agree?
Let us (and Netflix!) know what you think!!!
[Image via MEGA/WENN/The Jonathan Ross Show/YouTube.]