Popular Married At First Sight star Mel Schilling has died at the age of 54, just days after publicly revealing her cancer had spread to her brain.
In the announcement, Gareth said his wife, whose full name was Melanie Jane Brisbane-Schilling, passed away peacefully, surrounded by love, adding that even in her final moments, she remained devoted to her family.
“Melanie Jane Brisbane-Schilling passed away peacefully today, surrounded by love. 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. It took all of her remaining strength, and that gesture summed up our wee Melsie perfectly. Even then, her only thought was for Maddie and me,” Gareth wrote.
He disclosed that despite her failing strength, she managed to whisper a final message to him and their daughter, Madison, describing the moment as one that would stay with him forever.
Gareth paid tribute to her resilience, saying she showed courage, grace, compassion and empathy throughout her illness, including during years of treatment and while continuing her television work.
“This is a woman who became a new mum and a TV star at 42, and nailed both. This is a woman who, through two years of chemotherapy, when she could barely lift her head from the pillow, never complained and never stopped showing courage, grace, compassion and empathy, and never missed a day of filming,” he wrote.
To the public, he noted, she was widely recognised as a leading relationship expert and a central figure on Married At First Sight, but to her family, she was “an incredible mum, role model, and soulmate.”
“To most of you, she was Mel Schilling, matriarch of MAFS and queen of reality TV. To Maddie and me, she was our wee Melsie: an incredible mum, role model, and soulmate. On behalf of our family and her incredible friendship group, thank you for the support from around the world. I also want to thank our wonderful MAFS family — John, Alessandra, Charlene, Roxy, and Sophie — for your kindness and compassion. To Lee, Louie, Susy, and Ian at Channel 4 / CPL, who went above and beyond for us, we will never forget it,” Gareth wrote.
Tributes have since poured in from colleagues and broadcasters, including Channel 4, which described her as a warm and vibrant personality whose work played a key role in the show’s success.
The network extended condolences to her family, saying she would be remembered for her passion for relationships and her ability to connect with audiences.
Schilling had only recently shared that her condition had worsened, revealing that after an earlier diagnosis of colon cancer, the disease had spread to other parts of her body, including her brain.
Celebrity life
Mel Schilling built a career as a psychologist before transitioning into television, where she became a household name as a dating and relationship expert.
She served for over a decade on the Australian version of Married At First Sight and appeared in multiple seasons of the UK edition.
Beyond television, she worked as a consultant psychologist for many years and was known for advocating healthy relationships and emotional wellbeing. She also co-hosted a dating podcast and made occasional acting appearances earlier in her career.
She is survived by her husband, Gareth, and their daughter, Madison.
