Mel Schilling, MAFS expert, dies after cancer spreads

Mel Schilling, the dating coach and expert on Married At First Sight, has died aged 54. Her husband, Gareth, confirmed the news on Instagram, saying Schilling “passed away peacefully today, surrounded by love.” The TV star had publicly shared in recent weeks that her colon cancer had spread.

Family statement and tributes

Gareth Schilling posted a statement on Instagram, paying tribute to his “soulmate” and the mother of their 10‑year‑old daughter, Maddie. In his post he wrote: “Melanie Jane Brisbane‑Schilling passed away peacefully today, surrounded by love.”

He described a final intimate moment: “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.”

Gareth thanked their inner circle for support and urged people to honour Mel by “living life to the full, love your people well, and try not to sweat the small stuff.” He concluded: “I had 15 wonderful years with my soulmate, and it was the privilege of my life to be by her side. For that, I will be forever thankful. Goodbye, my love. My one. Until we meet again.”

Illness, treatment and recent updates

Schilling had revealed in recent weeks that her colon cancer, first diagnosed in December 2023, had spread. A February 2024 scan showed the disease had metastasised to her lungs, and later tests found it had reached her brain. She had undergone many rounds of chemotherapy over the past two years; the article states she underwent 16 rounds while filming MAFS and later received radiotherapy.

Schilling had written that she was eligible for a clinical trial specific to her gene type and that, after further treatment, her oncology team had told her there was nothing further they could do. She said: “My light is starting to fade — and quickly. But I am still here, still fighting, and surrounded by the most incredible love.”

Career and public life

Schilling became widely known for her role as an expert on the smash‑hit series Married At First Sight. The dating coach split her time between Australia and the UK, serving on the expert panel for the British version of the show. She officially left the reality series in January to focus on her health.

Gareth’s statement remembered her resilience through treatment and her devotion as a mother: “This is a woman who became a new mum and a TV star at 42 — and nailed both.”