When TV dating expert Mel Schilling revealed last year that she'd been diagnosed with cancer, not only were fans riddled with concern, but many were left wondering whether she'd be able to continue filming her much-loved series Married At First Sight.
Thankfully, however, after undergoing both keyhole surgery and chemotherapy throughout the summer, the 52-year-old was able to return to our screens, just in time for the 2024 series.
That isn't to say that mother-of-one Mel hasn't been forced to endure her fair share of both emotional and physical agony while filming, however - something she has lifted the lid on in a heartbreaking confession.
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The Aussie star first announced her colon cancer diagnosis in December 2023 by sharing an emotional snap of herself hugging her husband Gareth and their daughter Madison.
"YOU HAVE CANCER," Mel penned at the time. "Three little words that everyone dreads but no one ever expects to hear. Last Thursday my consultant told me those three words."
Since then, the star has kept her fans entirely in the loop with health updates, lifting the lid on the initial symptoms she overlooked, and what the reality of treatment has been like.
Revealing that, ahead of the ongoing UK series, she returned Down Under to film an Australian version of MAFS, she explained that the hardest part was leaving her family at home in England ahead of her daughter starting school.
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"We managed it pretty well," Mel told The Mirror at the time. "Filming began in August, so Gareth and Maddie came to Australia with me, and we based ourselves on the Gold Coast right next to the beach.
"I had a lot of downtime and beautiful beach time with them. But they've gone home to the UK now, because school's started again.
"So now I've just got a couple of months here by myself before I can get back to them again."
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It wasn't just being without her family that Mel found particularly difficult, however, revealing she was actually undergoing chemotherapy while filming the ongoing UK instalment.
"The team was just crowding around me to give me as much flexibility and support as they possibly could," she said.
"They really cared for me. It wasn't easy, but it was so wonderful to be able to work because it enabled me to still feel like me."
Lastly, Mel added that she's finally started feeling back to her old self.
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"I would say I have almost all my energy back, so I'm starting to feel like me again," she admitted.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Topics: Cancer, Celebrity, Channel 4, Health, Married At First Sight, Married At First Sight Australia, Married at First Sight UK, TV And Film, Mel Schilling
Rhianna Benson