Tributes pour in after MAFS expert Mel Schilling passes away aged 54

Mel Schilling, the beloved relationship expert from Married at First Sight, has died at the age of 54 after a long and courageous fight with cancer, her husband confirmed.

Her husband, Gareth Brisbane, shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram, saying Mel passed away peacefully on Tuesday surrounded by the love of her family, including their 10-year-old daughter, Maddie. Even in her final moments, Gareth wrote, she was thinking of her family, whispering a message for him and their daughter that he says he’ll carry with him forever.

Mel’s battle with cancer began in December 2023 when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. After surgery and initial treatment brought a period of hope, the disease later spread to her lungs and, more recently, to her brain, despite 16 rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

She had stepped back from her role on Married at First Sight earlier this year to focus on her health and family, sharing candid updates with fans about her journey and urging people to listen to their bodies and seek medical help if something doesn’t feel right.

Tributes have poured in from across the globe for Mel, celebrating her compassion, strength and the genuine care she brought to every participant on the show. Her long-time co-expert John Aiken expressed huge heartbreak, calling Mel his “partner in crime” and remembering her "loving, committed, loyal, fun and so very very kind" nature.

Big aroha from across the ditch to all of Mel's close friends and family.