# ABC Orders Who's In The Band? From Richard Bacon, Simon Cowell and Savan Kotecha

> ABC has greenlit Who's In The Band?, a music competition from Richard Bacon, Simon Cowell and Savan Kotecha.

- Published: 2026-11-13T21:26:39+00:00
- Section: Product Launches
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-13/abc-whos-in-the-band-greenlight
- Source: [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/music/articles/band-music-competition-series-richard-210200894.html)

## Key takeaways

- ABC greenlit Who's In The Band?, a music competition from Richard Bacon, Simon Cowell and Savan Kotecha.
- Five contestants sing the same song at once inside soundproof tubes while judges isolate vocals and eliminate in real time.
- Filming begins in January and the show launches on ABC and Hulu in summer 2027, with winners recording an album executive produced by Kotecha.

ABC has greenlit Who's In The Band?, a music competition series from Richard Bacon, Simon Cowell and Savan Kotecha, with filming set to begin in January and a launch on ABC and Hulu in summer 2027. [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/music/articles/band-music-competition-series-richard-210200894.html) reported the series order.

## How the Soundproof Tube Format Works

The show places five contestants singing the same song at once, each inside a brightly colored soundproof tube. Judges at their own mixing desks isolate individual vocals and eliminate hopefuls in real time. The format is described as a "fast-paced competition built for the era of snap decisions."

The series follows how music industry professionals assemble pop groups today and ends with a live finale in which one girl band and one boy band face a live vote. The winners will record an album executive produced by Kotecha, who has written songs for Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Lizzo, Britney Spears, Ed Sheeran and One Direction.

A proof-of-concept pilot was shot in London, with Rei Ami as host and a judging panel that included Joe Jonas, Mel B and Kotecha. Deals for hosts and judges are not finalized, though Ami is understood to remain as host and the judging panel will be shaken up. Cowell was never going to appear in the series because his deal at NBCUniversal precludes him from an ABC show, and Jonas is now a judge on the upcoming celebrity version of The Voice. Mel B could still be part of the show.

The series comes from Bacon's Yes Yes Media, which is backed by [Sister](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/003xdxx/sister). Bacon devised the project and will produce alongside [Syco Entertainment](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000rv6n/syco-entertainment), Kotecha Publicis Media Content Innovation in association with Walt Disney Television Alternative. Bacon, Cowell, Kotecha and Elisabeth Murdoch will executive produce, and Matt Banks and Ashley Edens will serve as showrunners and executive producers.

## ABC's Scripted and Daytime Additions

In September 2026, Deadline reported that Steven Kane was developing ABC's Dive with 20th Television and Dwayne Johnson's Seven Bucks, set in New Orleans and following police divers solving crimes, with casting not set and the show in early development. That same month, PRESSBEE reported that Alley Mills will return as Heather Webber on ABC's General Hospital starting November 5, 2026, a role for which she won Daytime Emmys in 2023 and 2025.

## Who's In The Band? Launch Window

Filming on Who's In The Band? Begins in January, and the series launches on ABC and Hulu in summer 2027.

## Companies in this story

- Abc · website: https://abc.com
- [SYCO Entertainment company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000rv6n/syco-entertainment) · website: https://www.sycoentertainment.com
- [Sister company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/003xdxx/sister) · website: https://www.sister.net

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