Mel Schilling – MAFS legend and relationship expert – dies aged 54, days after sharing cancer news

Mel Schilling has died at 54 years old after a battle with colon cancer, her family have confirmed in a statement.

Best known for her work as a relationship expert on Married at First Sight UK and Australia, Schilling recently took a step back from television due to her cancer spreading.

In a post on social media, Schilling's husband Gareth Brisbane shared a heartbreaking message, noting the star was "surrounded by love" as she passed away.

He wrote: "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.

"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."

Earlier this month, Schilling announced she would be taking a step back from Married at First Sight UK after being told the cancer had spread to the left side of her brain.

"Despite subsequent radiotherapy sessions, my oncology team have now told me there is nothing further they can do," she wrote at the time.

"Hearing those words changes everything. So that’s where I am now. My light is starting to fade — and quickly. But I am still here, still fighting, and surrounded by the most incredible love.

"Simple tasks have become incredibly difficult and I am relying on my beautiful family to look after me. I honestly don’t know how long I have left, but I do know I will fight to my last breath and will be surrounded by the love and support of my people."

Tributes have flooded in for the late star, with Channel 4 sharing it was "incredibly saddened by the news" of her death.

"We're privileged to be the channel that is home to Mel's work, which was at the heart of Married at First Sight's phenomenal success, both in the UK and Australia," the statement read.

It continued: "It reflected so much about her - her fierce advocacy for other women, her passion for healthy relationships and her mission to unite people in love. Just as importantly, we'd like to pay tribute to Mel as a person.

"For many who work for Channel 4, Mel was not just a colleague but a friend, someone who radiated joy, warmth and optimism, who energised every room she walked into with humour and positivity."

To find out more about Stand Up To Cancer and how you can donate, visit su2c.org.uk.