Mel Schilling is starting an exciting new chapter with her family after quitting Married At First Sight Australia.
The expert is leaving the reality TV show after 12 seasons to focus on her family: her husband Gareth Brisbane, and their daughter, Maddie, 10.
Mel lives in London with her family and will continue to appear on Married At First Sight UK, though she is bidding the Down Under version farewell once and for all.
“It has become clear that I must make a change that puts my family, health and time at the very centre of my life,” she said in a statement confirming her exit.
Mel will now be saying farewell to her native Australia, and residing entirely in the UK to focus on raising her daughter.
Read everything you need to know about her family below.
Is Mel Schilling still married?
Mel first met her husband, Gareth, on a dating website in 2010 and they were dating for eight years before they got married.
They tied the knot during a romantic ceremony in Bali in 2018, and have been loved-up ever since.
Speaking to our sister publication WHO Magazine about her wedding day, Mel said: “I had a bit of a cry on the day. It’s just the meaning of it all.
“I was a late bloomer in life, like, I didn’t meet my husband until I was nearly 40 and then we had our daughter when I was nearly 42, so to be finally saying our ‘I dos’ was an emotional time. It was very special.”
Does Mel Schilling have children?
Mel’s daughter Maddie was born on November 3, 2015. Now 10 years old, Mel often posts about her daughter online.
The 54-year-old had her daughter at the age of 42; however, this wasn’t the first time she had been pregnant.
“I got pregnant when I was 40 and had a miscarriage and that really changed things. That was a real eye-opener and just made me realise how much I wanted a child. Both of us did,” she revealed in an interview with OK!
Following her heartbreaking experience, she and Gareth chose to go through the route of IVF, and luckily, they were successful.
“I feel like I worked really hard to bring her into this world and now that we have her, and we’re only having one, she’s just so incredibly important to us,” Mel told our sister publication Woman’s Day in 2022.
Mel clearly adores her daughter, and as it turns out, the two are very similar in some ways.
“We’re both very much performers, and she’s a natural in front of the camera, but she’s started to become a bit of a director. There are a lot of imaginative plays,” Mel said.
How has Mel Schilling’s family helped her through cancer?
Mel’s family were her steadfast support network during her battle with cancer.
The dating coach was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2023 and has been very open with her followers throughout her journey in a bid to raise awareness and remove the stigma around the disease.
Speaking to 9Entertainment, she said she spent the first six months of 2024 filming MAFS UK while she was undergoing chemotherapy, and then returned to film the dating show in Australia.
She first announced that she was undergoing her final round of chemo in late July 2024 when she shared a photo of her with her husband with the caption: “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 continued in the caption.
At the time, she told OK! that her husband was her “rock” and her young daughter understood it and supported her “in her own way”.
“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 about Gareth at the time.
“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.”
She told 9Entertainment in January 2025 that she was in remission.
Why is Mel Schilling leaving MAFS Australia?
Mel confirmed in a statement on Tuesday, February 17, that the 2026 series of MAFS Australia would be her last.
“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 confirmed.
“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.”
Mel will continue working on MAFS UK as she starts her new chapter with her family in London.
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