Married At First Sight expert reveals cancer has spread to her brain
We Married at First Sight‘s longtime relationship expert, Mel Schilling, revealed that her cancer had worsened and spread to her brain.
Schilling, who began her tenure on the panel 12 years ago, announced in February that she was leaving Australia’s most-watched reality TV show due to “health issues” and to prioritize her family.
Schilling, 54, shared on social media early Friday that the cancer had spread to the left side of his brain. He was first diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023.
“Over Christmas… I started experiencing blinding headaches and numbness on my right side,” she wrote in an Instagram post that included a photo of herself with husband Gareth Brisbane and their daughter Madison. “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 told me there was nothing more they could do for me.
“Hearing these words changes everything.
“Here I am now. My light is rapidly fading. But I’m still here, still fighting, and surrounded by incredible love. Simple tasks have become incredibly difficult, and I rely on my beautiful family to take care of me. I honestly don’t know how much time I have left, but I know I will fight until my last breath and be surrounded by the love and support of my people.”
“Many of you sent the most wonderful messages of support at the beginning of this journey. They meant so much more than I can properly express and helped shape the mindset I needed to keep fighting. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”
Schilling said when he was first diagnosed with colon cancer, he was told the tumor was the size of a lemon and had been successfully removed through surgery.
He was told “everything was fine,” but in late February 2024, Schilling underwent a routine scan and the doctor discovered small nodules in his lungs.
The cancer had metastasized, and over the past two years Schilling had undergone 16 chemotherapy sessions while filming the reality TV series.
“I underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy and was then told I was eligible for a groundbreaking clinical trial specific to my gene type that would begin in March 2026. My optimism rose once again that I could beat this thing,” he wrote.
In December 2025, news broke that the cancer had spread to the brain, forcing Schilling to make the heartfelt decision to leave the show “due to health issues” in February.
We Married at First Sight The owner of this imprint is published by Nine.
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