Simon Cowell is helping ABC develop “Who’s in the Band,” a music-competition show purportedly in search of the next One Direction, with Joe Jonas, Mel B and Savan Kotecha as fellow judges, a person with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
The show is only planning a proof-of-concept episode taping for now, and it was not immediately clear whether any of the aforementioned names would participate if it’s greenlit to series. Rei Ami, the voice of Zoey in Netflix’s surprise hit “KPop Demon Hunters,” is set to host the pilot taping.
Cowell is already a part of a similar search-for-boyband show at Netflix, “Simon Cowell: The Next Act,” the streamer announced in July. Netflix has also greenlit a similar reality series, “Let’s Marry Harry,” from Alex Cooper’s Unwell Productions.
The “Who’s in the Band” test shoot is scheduled for next week in London. There is no plan to air the episode on ABC, where “American Idol” was rebooted after Cowell left the show.
“Who’s in the Band” is said to feature different songs performing the same song from different colored “tubes.” The show is produced by London/Los Angeles-based Yes Yes Media, which tipped its plans to British media but did not mention ABC’s involvement.
Cowell is still involved with NBC’s hit show “America’s Got Talent.”
Deadline first reported the news on Saturday.
