Mel Schilling, the relationship expert known for her role on both the Australian and UK versions of Married at First Sight (MAFS), has died at the age of 54. She passed away on Tuesday, surrounded by loved ones, just weeks after revealing that her cancer was no longer treatable.
Schilling announced in early March that her cancer had spread, including to the left side of her brain, and that doctors could do no more. Her husband Gareth shared a statement on social media, describing her final moments and praising her courage and grace throughout her illness.
Gareth wrote: 'Melanie Jane Brisbane-Schilling passed away peacefully today, surrounded by love. In her final moments, when I thought cancer had taken away her ability to speak, she ushered me closer and whispered a message for Maddie and me that will sustain me for the rest of my life.' He added that she never complained despite two years of chemotherapy and never missed a day of filming.
Tributes have poured in from fellow TV personalities, including Fearne Cotton, Alison Hammond, and Love Island star Ekin Su. Author Elizabeth Day, who co-hosted the How To Date podcast with Schilling, called her 'a radiant, shining light'. Her MAFS co-star John Aiken said it was 'not fair that my partner in crime is gone'.
Former contestants also paid tribute, with Michael Brunelli thanking her for helping him and his wife Martha, and Tayah Aveling saying she doubted she and her husband Adam would be together without Schilling's guidance. Channel 4 described her as someone who 'radiated joy, warmth and optimism'.
