Grammys producer Ben Winston struggled when putting together the In Memoriam section, which will include Liam Payne
Ben was a close friend of Liam, 31, and worked with One Direction on music videos for 'Night Changes', 'You & I' and 'Midnight Memories' among others and he admitted it was devastating to pick out clips of Liam to include among other musicians who died over the past year
4 February 2025
Speaking about Sunday's (02.02.25) show, which will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in LA, Ben told The Sun on Sunday's Bizarre column: "It is a very difficult time. Losing Liam was very, very tough. No doubt about it. But, no, there will be no One Direction performance.
"He was the most beautiful, wonderful boy and I love him very, very much. He is in, of course, our 'in memoriam', without question.
"And actually that is a very sad thing for me - when you are going through rehearsals and seeing the clips and a guy that was sat in this office four weeks before that tragedy happened.
"Seeing him up on that screen is not something that I would ever have imagined. It is extra sad for people - not just me who loved Liam, but for many."
Liam died in October after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentine capital Buenos Aires.
And, he will also be remembered at the BRIT awards in March, with bosses hoping his former bandmates will be involved.
A source said: "The tribute for Liam is in the early stages, with possibilities being explored, but there is a buzz around celebrating the singer.
"Of course, fans hope the remaining One Direction bandmates could come together on stage - it would be unforgettable."
© 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity
