Mel Schilling, the beloved dating coach and TV presenter, best known for her work on Married At First Sight, has passed away at the age of 59, her family have confirmed.
A moving post, shared by Mel's husband, Gareth Brisbane, earlier today (24 March), read, "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.
"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.
"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.”
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Mel was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2023 and was initially given the all-clear after a “tumour the size of a lemon” was successfully removed. However, in February 2024, small nodules were discovered in her lungs during a routine scan. She said, “The cancer had metastasised, and my world changed again in an instant.” In the past two years, she underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy while filming MAFS, in the hopes of taking part in a groundbreaking clinical trial.
On 12th March, Mel shared that she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, saying, “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.”
Since the announcement of her passing, tributes to Mel Schilling have flooded in, with many celebrities and public figures sharing their memories of her humour, kindness, and grace, and offering condolences to her family and loved ones.
Here are some incredibly moving tributes to Mel Schilling
Mel's good friend and co-host of the How To Date podcast, Elizabeth Day, shared, “My girl ❤️
“Sending all my love to Gaz, Maddie and Mel’s entire family.”
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Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, who host ITV's This Morning, shared their condolences on today's show, with Ben saying, “It's time for our phone-in now, but we've just had some really devastating news about someone who has sat alongside us and taken many of your phone calls over the years.”
Cat added: “Mel Schilling, who you'll know from Married at First Sight, sadly passed away earlier today at the age of 54, following a battle with cancer.”
Ben added: “She was so bright and colourful wasn’t she,” to which Cat replied: “Gorgeous.”
Author and broadcaster Fearne Cotton shared her support by commenting love heart emojis under the post announcing Mel's passing.
Presenter Alison Hammond shared, “Condolences to her family. A massive loss. RIP, my friend.”
Presenter and campaigner Carol Vorderman wrote a short message in response to the news: “So very sorry for your immense loss. The world is a sadder place today 😢.”
Singer Natalie Appleton shared the following comment: “I am absolutely devastated to hear this news 💔💔💔💔💔 😔 god bless your precious Mel 🙏🏼 I’m sending so much love from all my family to yours 🙏🏼.”
Channel 4, the home of the Married At First Sight franchise in the UK, said the show “reflected so much about her – her fierce advocacy for other women, her passion for healthy relationships and her mission to unite people in love”.
They added the following statement: “Just as importantly, we'd like to pay tribute to Mel as a person. For many who work for Channel 4, Mel was not just a colleague but a friend, someone who radiated joy, warmth and optimism, who energised every room she walked into, with humour and positivity.
“Everyone who knew her will miss all this about her and much more. We share in the sorrow that we're sure many viewers will now feel at this terrible loss.”
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Fellow MAFS dating expert Charlene Douglas paid tribute to her friend and co-star: "I'm both devastated and heartbroken to hear of the passing of my MAFS queen and friend Mel.
"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.
"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.
“Sleep in perfect peace Mel. Love you.”
Fellow dating expert and presenter Anna Williamson shared a moving Instagram tribute to Mel, writing, "What a woman. A fighter til the end, an end that was far far too soon.
“All of our Channel 4 family are grieving the loss of Mel. She touched a lot of people on and off screen. As her E4 ‘stable mate’ and with a love of coaching others and juggling being telly mums we naturally gravitated towards each other, held a deep respect for each other and became friends.
“Mel was always optimistic in spirit about her cancer diagnosis and fight for recovery. She never complained when she’d message, and was always putting in the fight for her Gareth and Maddie. Many people were touched by Mel and benefited from her badass approach to life, her work and her family and I know that legacy will continue👌
“And it’s her beautiful family who my heart goes out to in particular, I can only imagine the pain at her loss, the sheer love and pride she had for her Gareth & Maddie was off the charts!! A fiercely proud wife and mama ❤️ Rest now my friend. Thanks for the always cheery voicenotes ‘just because’ 🫶❤️.”
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Radio presenter Harriet Rose commented on the post announcing Mel's passing, saying, “What a lovely woman Mel was. I am so so sorry for your loss ❤️❤️❤️.”
The singer shared: “I never met Mel, but I always thought she came across so well and spoke a lot of sense. Sending love to all who knew her and will endeavour to appreciate the days I have and honour her memory. Xx”
Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of Mel Schilling’s death and send our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones.
“Mel’s courage in speaking so openly about bowel cancer, from her diagnosis through to treatment and everything in between, has already made a profound difference.
“By sharing her story, she has helped raise vital awareness and encouraged countless people to listen to their bodies and contact their GP when something doesn’t feel right. That message has the power to save lives.
“Every 12 minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with bowel cancer, making it the UK’s fourth most common cancer.
“If you’re experiencing symptoms of bowel cancer like bleeding from your bottom, blood in your poo or a change in your pooing habits, please contact your GP to ask for an at-home test.”
Our thoughts remain with Mel's family and friends at this incredibly sad time.
