Mel Schilling, the Australian psychologist and relationship expert who became one of the most well known faces on Married at First Sight has died at the age of 54. She had been fighting colon cancer for two years.
Her husband, Gareth Brisbane has confirmed her death on Tuesday in a statement posted on her Instagram account.
Earlier this month, Schilling had told that the cancer had spread to her lungs and the left side of her brain. Doctors had told her there was nothing more they could do.
Schilling first became known as a dating coach on the Australian version of the show. She later joined the UK version which airs on E4.
Over the years, she became a key part of the programme. Viewers knew her for her honest but caring advice as she helped participants through the process of marrying strangers.
Brisbane talked about her final moments and the strength she showed right until the end. He said that even when cancer had taken away her ability to speak and she used all her remaining energy to whisper a private message to him and their daughter, Maddie.
Brisbane wrote that she had gone through 16 rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy while still filming for the show. She never missed a single day of work.
He called her an incredible mother, role model and soulmate. He also asked the public to honour her memory by living life fully and not worrying about small things.
It was proud to have been the home of her work and called her a big part of the show’s success in both the UK and Australia.
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Schilling was first told she had colon cancer in December 2023. By February 2024, doctors had found growths in her lungs.
Even after long treatment, the disease kept spreading. In early March 2026, she told the that she had been given a terminal diagnosis after the cancer reached her brain. A clinical trial she had hoped to start was no longer possible.
She is survived by Brisbane, whom she married on Christmas Eve in 2020 and their daughter Maddie, who is 10.
Outside of television, Schilling was a working psychologist and relationship coach. She built a large following by speaking up for women and pushing for healthier relationships.
She became a first time mother and TV personality at 42 that late start to her public career connected with many of her fans.
Her death has led to a wave of tributes from fellow MAFS experts, former cast members and viewers across Australia and the United Kingdom.
For a show built around love and human connection, losing one of its most important voices is a moment that will be felt well beyond the screen.
