Mel Schilling, the dating expert from Married At First Sight, has died at the age of 54, less than two weeks after revealing that her cancer had spread. Her husband Gareth announced her passing on Instagram, saying she 'passed away peacefully today, surrounded by love.'
Schilling was diagnosed with colon cancer, a type of bowel cancer, in December 2023. After initial treatment she was given the all-clear, but a routine scan in February 2024 detected small nodules in her lungs, indicating the cancer had spread. She underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy while filming the show.
Earlier this month, Schilling shared that a clinical trial she was eligible for was due to start in March 2026, but over Christmas she began experiencing blinding headaches and numbness down her right side. Tests revealed the cancer had spread to her brain, and her oncology team told her there was nothing further they could do.
Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Dr Robin Clark of Bupa stresses the importance of screening: over a million people in England ignored bowel cancer screening invitations between 2020 and 2022, often due to embarrassment. However, consultant surgeon Shahnawaz Rasheed reassures patients that doctors are sensitive to anxieties and there is no need for embarrassment.
When caught early, 98% of people with bowel cancer survive for a year or more; this figure halves when diagnosed at a later stage. Symptoms of secondary bowel cancer can include persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal pain, weight loss, jaundice, bone pain, and neurological symptoms such as headaches, seizures, or weakness.
Schilling urged people to get checked if they feel something is 'not right' with their bodies, as 'it might just save your life.'
