Three years after she first revealed her cancer diagnosis, Married At First Sight expert Mel Schilling has confirmed she will not be returning to the show next year, as she chooses to put “my family, health and time first”.
Taking to Instagram, the relationship expert shared a video montage of her time on the show over the years, alongside the caption, “After 12 extraordinary seasons, I have made the heartfelt decision to step away from my role as an expert on Married at First Sight Australia.”
She continued, “This hasn’t been a choice I’ve made lightly. In recent years, my health challenges and living in the UK spending up to three months a year away from my family is no longer sustainable. It has become clear that I must make a change that puts my family, health and time at the very centre of my life.
“What began as a small social experiment has grown into a global phenomenon, and I have felt truly privileged to be part of that journey. I am incredibly grateful to the fans, the production team, and my fellow experts for their trust and passion over the years.
“I am leaving not with sadness, but with a deep sense of gratitude for everything we’ve achieved together. Stepping away from the Australian series is the right move for my future, though I look forward to continuing my work with Married at First Sight UK. Thank you for being part of this chapter with me.”
John Aiken farewells his friend
Fellow MAFS star John Aiken was one of the first to post after Mel’s heartfelt announcement, revealing he will miss his “dear friend and colleague Mel”.
“I simply could not have survived could not have survived this without her. Mel – I have long admired your resilience, warmth, expertise, kindness and strength, and I have loved and cherished out close friendship both on and off set.
“You are one of the key reasons for the massive success of this show and you’ll be greatly missed by myself and all of the amazing MAFS family.”
When did Mel first have cancer?
Mel has previously spoken about her battle with colon cancer, and often shared her desire to focus on her health and wellbeing.
Mel first shared news of her cancer diagnosis in December 2023. Taking to social media, she posted a photo with her husband, Gareth Brisbane, and daughter, Maddie, accompanied by the caption: “‘You have cancer’ – Three little words that everyone dreads but no one ever expects to hear. Last Thursday my consultant told me those 3 words.”
Mel first started experiencing the cramps while filming MAFS in Australia, later admitting that she was “doubled over in pain” during the reunion dinner party.
She dismissed the cramps, assuming it was caused by the amount of travelling she was doing. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
“I saw my GP in Sydney and he put it down to constipation, gave me some laxatives and sent me on my way,” she explained.
“It was basically medical gaslighting, he completely minimised it,” Mel told Australian Women’s Weekly in 2024. Weeks later, she discovered that she was actually suffering from a complete bowel blockage, thanks to the existence of a tumour.
“I’ve been learning a lot about the gender pain gap. What I find interesting is that anything to do with our abdominal region, as women, is straight away considered to be something hormonal. That you should just suck it up and get on with it, princess. When I made it clear it wasn’t anything to do with periods, that it was definitely a digestive issue, then he said it was constipation.”
“John Lennon famously said that life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans, how right he was.”
She finished her health update by urging fans to always seek help if something is wrong and to not ignore it because “it might just save your life.”
Mel Schilling has been an expert on MAFS since the show’s second season, in 2015, and has been a mainstay ever since.
However, many viewers have noted that in the 2026 season, she has only really been involved in the commitment ceremonies, perhaps signifying her desire to step back.
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