ABC Greenlights Music Competition Show ‘Who’s In The Band?’ From Simon Cowell, Richard Bacon and Savan Kotecha

ABC has officially greenlit a new music competition series titled "Who's In The Band?" featuring the talents of Richard Bacon, Savan Kotecha, and Simon Cowell. This unique show adds a twist to the traditional talent show format by having five contestants sing the same song simultaneously, each within a distinct, brightly colored soundproof tube.

As the judges listen through their individual mixing desks, they isolate the vocals of each contestant and eliminate them in real-time. The series ultimately culminates in a live finale, where a girl band and a boy band face off against each other.

The show aims to provide viewers with insight into how music industry insiders create pop groups. The ultimate winner of the competition will record an album that will be executive produced by Kotecha, who has previously collaborated with artists such as Ariana Grande and One Direction. Pre-production and casting for the series are currently underway, with filming expected to commence in January 2027 in the United States. However, the specific filming location has not yet been disclosed.

The series is set to premiere in summer 2027 on ABC and Hulu in the United States, as well as Disney+ internationally. While the exact premiere date is still to be announced, Cowell appeared in the pilot episode of "Who's In The Band?" but will not return for subsequent episodes. Instead, he will serve as a co-creator and executive producer throughout the show's run.

Alongside Cowell and Kotecha, Elisabeth Murdoch serves as a co-executive producer, while Matt Banks and Ashley Edens take on the roles of showrunners and executive producers. Both Cowell and Kotecha played significant roles in forming successful boy bands One Direction and Fifth Harmony, with Kotecha contributing a co-writing credit to "What Makes You Beautiful."