Married At First Sight relationship expert Mel Schilling has reflected on her turbulent time battling cancer.
In an exclusive interview with New Idea ahead of the 2025 season premiere of the reality television series, the 53-year-old said the past year had been “mad.”
“For the first half of last year, after six months, I was going through chemo whilst I was filming MAFS UK,” she shared with us.
“So I was actually filming during chemo and then I just finished chemo and then I came to Australia and started working on the Aussie season. So, I was in recovery when I was doing the Aussie one, which was good because I did recover really well and really bounced back really well. It was good. And I was just so focused on my nutrition and building strength again and, you know, getting the rest and just, I went into self-care overload, which was amazing to be able to do that.”
The relationship expert went on to reveal that there were also times during filming when she felt unwell to the point of vomiting.
But thankfully, Mel is feeling much better now after her bowel cancer battle.
Speaking with 9Entertainment in January 2025, Mel shared that she was in remission, an update that she described as “great bloody news!”
Five months prior, Mel confirmed that she had finished chemotherapy, shortly after filming of MAFS UK wrapped, and just before filming for MAFS Australia for 2025 was due to begin.
“Chemo done, Australia here we come #MAFSAUSEASON12,” she wrote at the time, also sharing alongside a sweet photo with her husband Gareth Brisbane and daughter Maddie.
Mel first announced that she was undergoing her last round of chemo in late July 2024 when she shared a sweet photo of her with her husband alongside a message that read: “Date lunch with the big guy to celebrate my impending FINAL round of chemo.”
“Lovely day on the river, beautiful food, a sip of wine & optimism all around,” she captioned the post at the time.
Prior to this, Mel had shown off a surgery scar following her colon cancer diagnosis. Taking to Instagram once more, Mel posted a photo of the scar to Instagram and shared details about her keyhole surgery.
“It took 90 minutes and I was up and walking the next day,” she penned.
“I’m sharing this here to highlight the fact that the IDEA of bowel cancer does not have to be big and scary. There is no need to ignore your symptoms or avoid talking to your doctor – in fact, the sooner you take action on your symptoms, the less intervention you’re likely to need.”
The relationship expert, who was traveling around Ireland with her husband Gareth Brisbane at the time, donned a two-piece swimsuit for the photo.
She has been very open with her followers throughout her entire journey, even discussing how it has affected her daughter. At the beginning of June 2024, Mel shared a candid update about her cancer battle, explaining how she broke the news to her young daughter, Maddie.
Speaking to OK!, the MAFS expert explained that her daughter has a “nine-year-old’s version of what cancer means”.
“She knows I’m having chemo and she knows that when I have an infusion I’ll be tired and need extra cuddles, which she is there for. She understands it in her own way.”
Mel also described her husband as her “rock” during this tough time, explaining that they are a “team”.
“He’s gone through his own tough year as he’s had grief in his life, but has still been there for me,” she told the publication.
“We have a non-traditional relationship, I guess, as I’m the one who goes out to work and he does the majority of parenting at home. It works well for us.”
This interview comes a month after the television star told UK radio station MagicFM that she was feeling “flat” while undergoing her third round of chemotherapy.
“It sort of feels like being hungover,” she told the hosts.
The MAFS expert added that she was still figuring out how to best “juggle” work in between treatments.
“This thing is not beating me, I’m here to fight, I just need to make some adaptions.”
Previously, Mel revealed that while her chemotherapy treatments had left her “tired” she was, for the most part, “doing well” and was fortunate to have not lost any hair.
At the time, her only side effects were “tingly fingers” and sensitivity to cold weather.
The relationship expert realised something was wrong towards the end of 2023.
She was busy filming Season 11 of MAFS – and about to start work on her third season of the UK version. She’d also recently relocated to Blighty with her husband, Gareth Brisbane, and their then eight-year-old daughter Maddie.
Shortly after going public with her cancer diagnosis, Mel admitted to New Idea that she hadn’t been “paying attention to my body or prioritising” her health “at all.”
“Everything was going great, but, I was exhausted all the time,” the 51-year-old told us.
“At the time, I put it down to all the international travel I was doing, between Australia and the UK, and being so busy with work.”
It was only when Mel was no longer able to stomach food and started rapidly losing weight that she finally got checked out. Her doctor soon confirmed it was cancer.
“It was a curveball,” Mel admitted at the time.
