Mel Schilling has said her cancer has spread to the left side of her brain and that oncology teams have told her there is nothing further they can do, and john aiken will step in to cover her role on the current UK series of Married at First Sight while she prioritises her family and health.

Diagnosis, treatments and recent prognosis

Schilling revealed she was diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023 and described an initial surgery that removed a tumour. She has written that the cancer subsequently returned in her lungs and later spread to the left side of her brain. She has undergone 16 rounds of chemotherapy while continuing to take part in the reality series, and after radiotherapy sessions her oncology team told her there was nothing further they could do. She has said simple tasks have become incredibly difficult and that she does not know how long she has left, adding that she will fight to her last breath.

John Aiken To Replace Schilling On UK Series

The production announced that John Aiken, an expert from the Married at First Sight Australia edition, will step in to replace Schilling for the remainder of the latest UK series, which is currently being filmed. The move comes after Schilling stepped away from the Australian show to prioritise family and health; she has posted a photograph with her husband and daughter and paid tribute to their support. The replacement is framed as a short-term production decision to maintain the ongoing series while she focuses on care.

Symptoms, clinical opportunities and public messages

Schilling reported that she began experiencing blinding headaches and numbness down her right side over the Christmas period, which prompted further tests and confirmed the spread to her brain. She also said she had been told she was eligible for a clinical trial specific to her gene type that was due to start this month, but her condition changed before that could proceed. In her public message she urged people to seek medical checks if something does not feel right and expressed gratitude for the messages of support she has received.

What changes now for the show and Schilling’s public role

With Schilling stepping back to focus on treatment and family, john aiken’s on-set role will maintain the expert presence on the current series while filming continues. The production noted the esteem in which Schilling is held and offered goodwill as she faces this period. Schilling has described relying on her family for care as daily tasks become more challenging, and she framed her announcement as both a personal update and a public reminder about early checks.

Schilling’s disclosure closes a chapter on nearly two years of active treatment, and it moves the story from treatment to palliative management, as she and her team navigate next steps. For viewers and colleagues, the immediate practical consequence is a temporary change in the show’s expert panel; for Schilling and her family it is a deeply personal period focused on support and comfort.

As the situation develops, the confirmed elements remain Schilling’s disclosure that the cancer has spread to her brain, that further curative treatment has been ruled out by her oncology team, and that John Aiken will fill her role on the current UK series while she concentrates on family and care.

The 6 signs of bowel cancer you must NEVER ignore, after MAFS’ legend Mel Schilling reveals incurable diagnosis

MAFS dating coach Mel Schilling has revealed her “light is starting to fade” after being told her cancer is incurable.

The star of hit show was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2023.

After initially going into remission, the 54-year-old began suffering “blinding headaches” over Christmas last year and was given the devastating news that there was nothing more doctors could do.

In a heart-breaking Instagram post, Mel said: “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.”

She pleaded with her followers to get worrying symptoms checked out sooner rather than later.

“If I could leave you with one thing, it would simply be this: if something doesn’t feel right, please get it checked out,” Mel said.

“It might just save your life.”

Almost 44,000 people a year in the UK are diagnosed with cancer in their bowel, which is part of the digestive system.

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Most cases are spotted in people over 50, but the disease is increasingly affecting younger patients.

The cancer can affect your toilet habits, which many people may feel embarrassed about bringing up with a doctor.

But it’s important to remember that they’ve heard all of this before and it’s best to get red flag symptoms checked out as soon as possible.

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Mel’s cancer first showed up as stomach cramps – she urged others to get worrying symptoms checkedCredit: Getty
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Mel pictured with her MAFS Australia co-host John AikenCredit: Getty
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Mel announced she was stepping back from the show to focus on her health last monthCredit: Instagram/Mel Schilling
It can cause tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.

In some cases bowel cancer can block the bowel, this is known as a bowel obstruction.

Other signs of bowel cancer include:

Gripping pains in the abdomen
Feeling bloated
Constipation and being unable to pass wind
Being sick
Feeling like you need to strain – like doing a number two – but after you’ve been to the loo

If you have any of these symptoms, visit your GP.

You may be given an at-home test kit called a faecal immunochemical test (FIT), to collect a small sample of poo and send it to a lab.

These check if you’re bleeding from your bowel, which can be a sign of bowel cancer.

For Mel, who joined Married At First Sight Australia in 2016 before appearing in the UK version, bowel cancer first manifested as severe stomach cramps.

Initially she was told constipation was to blame, before scans revealed she had a tumour in her bowel.

The dating expert detailed the process of her diagnosis and treatment in her Instagram post.

She wrote: “In December 2023 I was diagnosed with colon cancer after a tumour the size of a lemon was discovered during a scan.

“‘Terry’, as I called him, was successfully removed and I was initially given the all clear — that much many of you already know.

“Unfortunately, in late February 2024 during a routine scan, small nodules were discovered in my lungs.

“The cancer had metastasised and my world changed again in an instant.

“Over the past two years, while filming MAFS, I underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy and was later told I was eligible for a groundbreaking clinical trial specific to my gene type, due to start in March 2026.

“Once again, my optimism soared that I might beat this thing.”

The mum-of-one continued: “Over Christmas, however, I began experiencing blinding headaches and numbness down my right side.

What are the risk factors of bowel cancer?

You’re at greater risk of bowel cancer if you have one or more of the following risk factors:

You’re aged over 50
You have a strong family history of the disease
A history of non-cancerous growths, known as polyps, in your bowel
Long-term inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
Type 2 diabetes
You smoke, are overweight or obese and do not get enough exercise

“After many tests I was told the cancer had spread to the left side of my brain and, despite subsequent radiotherapy sessions, my oncology team have now told me there is nothing further they can do.

“Hearing those words changes everything. So that’s where I am now. My light is starting to fade — and quickly.”

Mel had revealed last month that she was stepping back from MAFS Australia to put her health first and be with her family – which include her husband Gareth and daughter Maddie, 10.

She concluded her post by thanking them and saying: “I am still here, still fighting, and surrounded by the most incredible love.”

When bowel cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is known as advanced or metastatic bowel cancer.

According to Bowel Cancer UK, it’s common for the disease to spread to the liver, lungs or peritoneum – a thin layer of tissue that covers the organs in your tummy.

But it can also travel to the bones, ovaries or brain, though this is rarer.

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In the UK, people between the ages of 50 and 74 are offered FIT tests every two years, as part of the NHS bowel cancer screening programme.

If you’re within this age range and registered with a GP, you’ll automatically get a test kit through the post.