Channel 4 has paid tribute to relationship expert Mel Schilling, who died at the age of 54 after a battle with colon cancer. The on-air tribute aired ahead of Monday night's episode of Married at First Sight Australia on E4.
Schilling's family confirmed her death earlier this week, just days after she revealed that her cancer had spread to the left side of her brain and that she would be stepping back from the UK version of the show.
In a statement read by an announcer, Channel 4 said: 'Everyone at Channel 4 is hugely saddened by the news we’ve lost Mel Schilling. It was Mel and her family’s wish that we carry on showing Married At First Sight and celebrate her mission to help others find love and happiness.'
Schilling's MAFS UK co-star Paul Brunson also shared a tribute on social media, recalling how she stopped on the red carpet at the BAFTAs to hug fans. 'She stepped off the red carpet, moved around the barrier, and went to hug the women calling out to her. Not a wave. Not a gesture. A real moment,' he wrote.
Her husband, Gareth Brisbane, confirmed her passing in a statement, saying she whispered a message for him and their daughter Maddie in her final moments. 'It took all of her remaining strength, and that gesture summed up our wee Melsie perfectly,' he said.
Schilling joined MAFS Australia in 2016 and later appeared on the UK version from 2021. Per her wishes, Married at First Sight Australia season 13 will continue to air on E4 at 7:30pm, Monday to Thursday.
