MAFS expert John Aiken has paid an emotional tribute to his friend Mel Schilling. Picture: Getty/Instagram

John Aiken calls his friend Mel Schilling’s death ‘unfair’ as he admits her passing has him ‘unravelling’.

Married At First Sight expert John Aiken has broken his silence following the tragic news his friend and co-worker Mel Schilling has died.

After a long journey with cancer, Mel’s husband Gareth confirmed on the morning of March 24th, 2026 that she had sadly passed away.

With hundreds of tributes pouring in for the MAFS expert, her close friend John, who she worked with on the Australian version of the TV show, has spoken up about how he feels “devastated” over the loss.

Taking to Instagram with a picture of their professional journey together, where it “began and ended”, John wrote the emotional message: “It’s with great sadness and heavy heart that today I lost my dear friend and fellow MAFS expert Mel Schilling. I am heartbroken, devastated and finding it hard to breathe.

“It was a privilege and an honour to sit beside her on the MAFS couch and watch her shine. 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.”

John went on to describe their relationship off screen and how they would “have so much fun” behind the scenes.

“And when her illness struck she never complained. She kept her challenges to herself and continued to deliver time and time again. She was an inspiration, a fighter, a leader,” he added.

“It’s not fair that my partner in crime is gone. 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.

Mel Schilling was one third of the experts on MAFS Australia alongside John Aiken and Alessandra Rampolla. Picture: Getty

John thanked Mel for everything she had given him over their past decade together and admitted he was “distraught” that he had to accept she was now gone.

He signed off: “I love you and I miss you gorgeous.. xx”

Mel and John worked on the 2026 MAFS Australia together which is currently being played out on screens in the UK.

Mel revealed earlier this month how her cancer had spread to her brain and that the diagnosis was terminal.