Mel Schilling, the dating coach who has been a regular on MAFS since it first launched back in 2015, has admitted that there is now nothing more that doctors can do after her cancer metastasised to her brain.
Schilling was first diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023 after a tumour the size of a lemon was discovered during a scan. She nicknamed it "Terry" and it was successfully removed, with her initially given the all clear. In late February 2024, during a routine scan, small nodules were discovered in her lungs. The cancer had metastasised and her world changed in an instant.
Over the past two years, while filming MAFS, Schilling underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy and was later told she was eligible for a groundbreaking clinical trial specific to her gene type, due to start in March 2026. Her optimism returned as she prepared for what was meant to be a pivotal turning point.
But that hope was shattered over Christmas. Schilling began experiencing blinding headaches and numbness down her right side. After many tests, she was told the cancer had spread to the left side of her brain and, despite subsequent radiotherapy sessions, her oncology team have now told her there is nothing further they can do.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, Schilling wrote that her light is starting to fade, and quickly, but that she is still here, still fighting, and surrounded by the most incredible love. She said simple tasks have become incredibly difficult and she is relying on her beautiful family to look after her, adding that she honestly doesn't know how long she has left, but will fight to her last breath.
Schilling, 54, will now step down from MAFS and focus on spending more time with her family, having given 12 seasons to MAFS Australia and five seasons to MAFS UK. Channel 4 has confirmed that expert John Aiken will step in for her.
The response from colleagues and supporters has been immediate and heartfelt. Channel 4 said Mel has become a hugely valued and much-loved part of the Channel 4 family, noting that her wisdom, warmth, humour and kindness shine through, and that everyone involved in MAFS loves and respects her.
Schilling's journey over the past two years has been marked by her determination to continue working even as she underwent intensive treatment. That commitment to the show speaks to her character. Now, as she turns her focus to what matters most, her family will be her strength in the battles ahead.