Liam Payne’s sisters, Ruth Gibbins and Nicola Payne, shared emotional reactions after watching Building the Band, the Netflix music competition in which he appeared as a guest judge. Gibbins wrote that she was heartbroken he would not see the finished show and proud of his performance; Nicola said watching it helped her feel close to him. Netflix said the family reviewed the series and supported his inclusion.
What Ruth Gibbins and Nicola Payne said
In a response to the show’s trailer, older sister Ruth Gibbins wrote that she was “heartbroken he never got to see how great he is in this show.” She added that Liam knew he had done a good job because the family had told him while they were at filming. Watching the show back, she said, brought “a range of emotions,” including “immeasurable pride always” and missing him more each day. PerthNow reported her comments on June 26, 2025.
Nicola Payne posted her reaction the following day. She said she could not be prouder of the show and believed Liam would be proud too. Watching it over the preceding months, she wrote, had given her a way to “still feel close to you and see you at your best.” These are the sisters’ reported social media responses to the series; they describe their own reactions, not a broader statement on behalf of the family.
Why Building the Band mattered to Liam Payne
Building the Band is a Netflix singing competition built around contestants forming groups before they can see one another. Singers first hear each other perform and talk, then make decisions based on musical ability and chemistry. In a Netflix Tudum behind-the-scenes transcript, Payne contrasted the format with his own experience of being placed in a band by others: “These bands are making it by themselves on chemistry alone. This could be interesting.”
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Payne appeared as a guest judge, alongside Kelly Rowland. Nicole Scherzinger mentored the bands, and AJ McLean hosted. Netflix said Payne’s family reviewed the series and supported his inclusion. ITV reported that he filmed his scenes just weeks before his death in October 2024.
When the series premiered and how the competition worked
The series launched on Netflix on July 9, 2025, with further episodes released on July 16 and 23. Reports differ on how many episodes arrived in the initial July 9 drop, so the clearest shared point is the launch date and subsequent July releases.
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According to the Associated Press report published July 22, 2025, the competition began with 50 aspiring artists, followed six bands, and offered a $500,000 prize to the winning band. AP also reported that Payne first appears in episode seven.
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