‘MAFS won’t be the same without her’: On air tribute for TV star who died from cancer

Married At First Sight have paid tribute to star relationship expert Mel Schilling, who died from cancer aged 54, in its first episode since news of her death broke on Tuesday.

“It’s with great sadness and a heavy heart that today, the MAFS family lost colleague and dear friend Mel Schilling,” co-expert John Aiken said in a pre-recorded message at the beginning of the program.

“She was full of joy. She had a huge smile, and whenever she was on set, everyone lifted. She bought fun, joy, and humour. She also bought an authenticity, which we all loved to be around. It was such a delight to watch her shine.

“She was a fighter. She was a leader. She was an inspiration. She never complained, just rolled up her sleeves and got on with things. [She’s] someone that has meant so much to all of us, and it’s not fair, Married At First Sight won’t be the same without her.”

Aiken said his thoughts were with Schilling’s husband, Gareth Brisbane and 11-year-old daughter Madison. The program then aired a brief message on-screen before airing the episode in which Schilling featured.

“In memory of Mel Schilling. With gratitude for her warmth, honesty, and insight. A beloved member of our team, she will always be a part of the Married At First Sight team,” the message read.

Schilling publicly announced her cancer had spread to her brain just weeks ago. Brisbane announced her death in a heartfelt message on social media.

“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,” Brisbane wrote. “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.”

Tributes to Schilling poured in on Wednesday, including from her co-stars on Married at First Sight Australia and the UK version of the show, on which she also appeared.

Alessandra Rampolla and Aiken, Schilling’s co-stars on the Australian series’ expert panel, shared tributes to their colleague on Instagram.

Rampolla said she felt grateful to have been able to see Schilling for the last time last week, to “look you in the eyes, to hold your hand, and to say the things that truly mattered”.

“My heart is shattered,” Rampolla said. “You were so much more than a colleague. You were a constant, a guiding force, and to me, someone I admired and learned from — like a big sister, a woman of immense heart, wisdom and generosity.

“You welcomed me from the very beginning and made me feel at home in a space that could have felt overwhelming, always kind and generous with your light. That is who you were.”

“I am heartbroken, devastated and finding it hard to breathe,” Aiken said. “She came into my life 10 years ago and together we rode this [Married at First Sight] juggernaut, being there for one another through it all. Nothing could prepare us for what lay ahead, but she was always in the foxhole with me.

“And through all of these years, she was an amazing mother and wife. She was loving, committed, loyal, fun and so very, very kind … It’s not fair that my partner in crime is gone. She was one of the good ones.

“I am unravelling just thinking about it. I wanted to sit on our couch together forever. She knew my rhythms and I knew hers. But it’s simply not to be.”

One previous Married at First Sight contestant, Michael Brunelli, who met his wife Martha Kalifatidis on the show (and recently welcomed their second baby), said the couple would always be grateful for Schilling’s “caring support” of them throughout the show.

“Rest in peace, Mel,” Brunelli said. “Thank you for everything you did for Martha and I. We’ll talk about you when our kids ask how we met.”

On March 14, Schilling revealed that the colon cancer she was first diagnosed with in 2023 had spread to the left side of her brain. The psychologist, who began her stint on the popular reality show 12 years ago, announced in February she was stepping down from Married at First Sight due to “health challenges” and to prioritise her family.

“Over Christmas … I began experiencing blinding headaches and numbness down my right side,” she wrote in an Instagram post that included a photograph of her with her husband and daughter.

“After many tests, I was told the cancer had spread to the left side of my brain and, despite subsequent radiotherapy sessions, my oncology team have now told me there is nothing further they can do.

“My light is starting to fade – and quickly. But I am still here, still fighting, and surrounded by the most incredible love.”

Schilling appears in the current season of Married at First Sight, now screening on Nine. The season was filmed between late July and November last year.

When Schilling was first diagnosed with colon cancer, she was told the tumour was the size of a lemon and that it had been successfully removed in surgery. She was given the “all clear”, but in late February 2024, she underwent a routine scan and a doctor discovered small nodules in her lungs.

The cancer had metastasised, and she had undergone 16 rounds of chemotherapy, all while filming the reality TV series, in the past two years.

Schilling’s death also sent shockwaves in the UK, where she has appeared as an expert on the British version of Married at First Sight.

Charlene Douglas, a fellow relationship expert on the UK show, said she was both devastated and heartbroken by Schilling’s passing, sharing a video of them dancing on set.

“I had the pleasure of spending time with Mel in her last days and will forever treasure the laughter, the memories and love we had for each other,” Douglas said.

“Mel’s love for life, jokes and of course dancing will forever stay in my heart. What I wouldn’t give to be dancing to Beyoncé with you right now.”

Another expert from the UK show, Jay Howard, thanked Schilling for teaching her how to open up and love herself.

“Your impact and legacy will live on through everyone whose lives you touched,” Howard said. “I feel honoured to have been in your orbit.”

Tayah Aveling, who met her husband Adam on the UK programme, told BBC Radio 5 Live that she believed the couple wouldn’t be together if it were not for Schilling.

“She played such a massive part in putting us together, and I think she knew that we were going to be a couple that would go the distance. I think that they could really see that, and it’s all credit to her.”

Fellow reality TV presenter Sophie Monk also shared her thoughts underneath an Instagram post about Schilling’s death.

“Sending so much love to everyone around her. Such a beautiful light.”

MAFS is broadcast by Nine, the owner of this masthead.

Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday.