United Kingdom, July 10 -- AJ McLean has a "constant reminder" of Liam Payne on his phone.

The Backstreet Boys singer grew close to the late One Direction star - who died in October aged 31 after falling from his hotel balcony - when shooting Netflix series Building the Band, and he has kept a recording of their final conversation because he felt the chat perfectly reflected the kind and funny person he knew Liam to be.

AJ - who hosts Building the Band - told People magazine: "I've not deleted it. I've kept it on my phone as a constant reminder of who he was. He was a very positive, uplifting person.

"He had a real quick wit about him. I don't know if it was the British humour or just him as a person. I think that was one of the things...