Social media has been flooded with tributes to Married At First Sight (MAFS) expert Mel Schilling following her shock passing at 54 after a battle with colon cancer.
Her partner Gareth Brisbane posted the sad news to Instagram on Tuesday evening, remembering the beloved reality TV star as “an incredible mum, role model, and soulmate”.
“In her final moments, when I thought cancer had taken away her ability to speak, she ushered me closer and whispered a message for Maddie and me that will sustain me for the rest of my life,” he wrote. “It took all of her remaining strength, and that gesture summed up our wee Melsie perfectly. Even then, her only thought was for Maddie and me.”
Tributes flow for Mel Schilling
Shortly after news broke, Mel’s longtime MAFS co-star John Aiken shared a lengthy tribute on social media, saying “it’s not fair that [his] partner in crime is gone”.
“It was a privilege and an honour to sit beside her on the MAFS couch and watch her shine,” he wrote. “She was warm, supportive and honest, and she deeply cared about all our participants. I had a front row seat to her remarkable skills and she truly believed in the experiment. At her core, she loved love.”
He went on to say that he is “heartbroken, devastated and finding it hard to breathe” following the loss of his “dear friend”, and described her as “a role model for all to see”.
“Behind the scenes we had so much fun. Before going on set we would sing, dance, FaceTime her daughter and eat lollies. Every time I came to set she would squeal, jump out of her chair and run and embrace me — squeezing me tight,” he continued.
“She was one of the good ones. I am unravelling just thinking about it. I wanted to sit on our couch together forever. She knew my rhythms and I knew hers. But it’s simply not to be.”
His heartfelt post was accompanied by a photo of the pair in 2016 when Mel first joined MAFS, and a snap of them filming this year’s season.
Alessandra Rampolla’s heartbreaking post
Fellow MAFS expert Alessandra Rampolla, who joined the reality show in 2021, also shared a tribute to Mel and said her “heart is shattered”.
“I am struggling to find the words, because none of them feel big enough for what I feel right now,” she wrote.
“I feel so incredibly grateful for the time we shared last week… to look you in the eyes, to hold your hand, and to say the things that truly mattered. That is a gift I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
She added that Mel was “so much more than a colleague”, and described her as “a guiding force”, “a woman of immense heart, wisdom and generosity” and “like a big sister”.
“What we shared — on and off screen — was real, and I will treasure it always. Thank you for your friendship, your laughter, your strength, and your unwavering belief in love,” she wrote. “You will be deeply, deeply missed… but never forgotten, Chica.”
MAFS 2026 cast share tributes
The current cast of MAFS also posted tributes on their social media accounts, with Stella Mickunaite describing Mel as “a woman who truly changed lives”.
“Mel Schilling saw people for who they could become, not just who they were in their hardest moments. I’ll always be grateful for her guidance during a time that tested me in every way,” she said. “You met us in our most vulnerable moments and held us with strength, clarity and compassion.”
Filip Gregov also said he had a “heavy heart”, while Bec Zacharia shared that Mel would be “forever missed”.
“Mel, you were such a lovely person. This news is so hard for all of us. May you rest in peace,” Luke Fourniotis wrote.
“A beautiful soul inside and out, it was a privilege to meet Mel,” Julia Vogl posted on her Instagram Story. “What an incredible woman. Her family are in my thoughts.”
Former participants, including Cyrell Paule, Jessika Power, Jamie Marinos, Ella Ding and Lucinda Light, also said they were “absolutely heartbroken”.
“It’s hard to put into words how sad this is,” Lucinda posted. “Sending love to her lovely family — particularly Gareth and Maddie and all those who were close to Mel.”
Mel was diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023 after a tumour was discovered during a scan, and she revealed earlier this month that the cancer had spread to her brain. She had announced in February that she would be stepping away from MAFS after 10 years due to her “health challenges”.
RIP Mel Schilling.
The post MAFS’ John Aiken Leads Tributes To Mel Schilling After Her Tragic Death Aged 54 appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
