Netflix's Building the Band has paid a heartfelt tribute to Liam Payne, as the entertainment series marks the last project the singer worked on before his death.
In the opening moments of the series, host AJ McLean 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."
The former One Direction band member will appear posthumously in the Netflix series, with his family having reviewed the series prior to its release, and are "supportive of his inclusion".
Liam Payne tragically died at the age of 31 in October last year, after he fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Tributes poured in for the star, including a statement from his former One Direction bandmates: "We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing... The memories we shared will be treasured forever."
The series itself sees a group of talented singers enter a competition to form a music group without ever having seen each other.
Throughout their journey, they are mentored by Nicole Scherzinger, who is joined by Kelly Rowland and Liam Payne, who serve as guest judges in later episodes.
Payne's family have publicly shared their support for Building the Band, with his sister Nicola sharing on Instagram last month: "Over the years I've shared many achievements and momentous occasions as a proud sister and I couldn't be prouder of this show, and I know you are so proud too."
"Watching this over the past few months has given me/us a way to still feel close to you and see you at your best and I'm so glad the world gets to see it all now too," she continued. "You truly are a shining star, miss you more than words can say, love you more than that."
Liam's other sister Ruth also shared an emotional statement on Instagram, telling her followers she is "heartbroken" that he "never got to see how great he is in this show".
"He knew he had done a good job, we all told him this when we were at filming, but watching it back, wow!" she wrote.
"You're a star Liam, you always were and always will be. There are a range of emotions I felt watching this, but one of the main ones is immeasurable pride, always."
Building the Band is out now on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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