"I'm in remission" - Married At First Sight: Australia expert Mel Schilling gives an update on her battle with cancer

Married At First Sight: Australia's Mel Schilling shared a health update with 9E Entertainment on February 27, 2025, revealing that she is in remission after battling bowel cancer. The 53-year-old was diagnosed with cancer in December 2023, and had undergone chemotherapy while she continued working on Married At First Sight in the UK and Australia.

"I'm in remission which is such great bloody news!" she told 9E Entertainment.

Mel has been a relationship expert on Married At First Sight since its second season in 2016. Over the past year, she has been open about her treatment journey, sharing insights with her social media followers.

Despite the physical toll of chemotherapy, she continued filming the UK edition before returning to Australia for season 12. She described work as an important part of her recovery.

"Being at work was my favourite and it was so important because I felt like so much of myself was taken away with being unwell," Mel noted.

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Married At First Sight: Australia expert Mel Schilling’s relationship lessons

Throughout her battle with cancer, Mel Schilling said that she learned the importance of letting go and allowing support from loved ones. In an interview with 9Entertainment on February 27, 2025, she shared how her independent nature made it difficult for her to rely on others. However, her experience taught her to accept help, particularly from her partner.

"This was a big one for me, particularly those of you who are independent, driven people – allowing your partner to look after you can be a challenge. So something I have learned is just letting go and allowing him to support me and help me make decisions has really helped," she explained.

Mel’s treatment spanned the first six months of 2024, during which she balanced chemotherapy with filming Married At First Sight UK. She later returned to Australia to film Married At First Sight season 12, which is currently airing. She described how her work on the show played a crucial role in maintaining her sense of identity during her illness.

She said that all her "energy and capacity" to be herself was "going into being sick" and because of the chemotherapy, there were times when she "couldn't even walk." The star added that being able to go back to work was "just so incredibly rewarding" for her.

In addition to finding strength in her work, Mel relied on humor as a coping mechanism. She shared that humor became crucial during her health battle, noting that she owns a pair of poo emoji earrings to raise awareness for bowel cancer.

As she continues to recover, she is already planning future projects beyond television. While she has not revealed specific details, she hinted that announcements would be made soon.

Meanwhile, Married At First Sight continues to be a major part of her career. The show, which brings together couples matched by experts, remains one of the most popular reality series. Mel believes its success lies in how audiences relate to the participants.

"People love the chance to get to look inside other people's relationships, and what's more is that often our audience see parts of themselves reflected in the brides and grooms," she said.

As the show enters its tenth year, season 12 has introduced a new format. Mel described the changes as a fresh direction for the show, stating that they will take the experiment in "quite a new direction.

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Married at First Sight: Australia continues on Sunday at 7 pm and Monday to Wednesday at 7:30 pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.