Married At First Sight expert Mel Schilling has announced that her cancer is terminal, weeks after stepping away from the show for health reasons. The 54-year-old psychologist, who joined the series in 2016, shared the news on Instagram on Friday, stating that doctors have exhausted all treatment options.
Schilling was originally diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023 after a tumour was discovered during a scan. Following surgery, she was given the all-clear, but the cancer later returned in her lungs. She underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy while filming MAFS and was due to start a clinical trial in March 2026.
Over Christmas, she began experiencing severe headaches and numbness, and tests revealed the cancer had spread to her brain. Despite radiotherapy, her oncology team told her there was nothing further they could do. “I honestly don’t know how long I have left,” she wrote, “but I will fight to my last breath.”
Schilling thanked fans for their support and urged others to seek medical advice if something feels wrong. Nine Entertainment expressed deep sadness, calling Schilling “a woman of extraordinary depth, kindness, and an unshakeable spirit.”
