Mel Schilling was 'doubled over in pain' filming MAFS before shock diagnosis

Married At First Sight expert Mel Schilling has opened up about how her recent cancer diagnosis impacted filming for the reality show’s upcoming 11th season.

The 51-year-old TV personality shared a heartbreaking post on social media a few days before Christmas last year announcing that she had been diagnosed with colon cancer.

She has since undergone surgery to remove her tumour, which she nicknamed ‘Terry’, and revealed over the weekend that her recent PET scan was “all clear” and the cancer hadn’t spread.

Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle ahead of the premiere of MAFS on January 29, Mel shares that she first knew something wasn't right with her health when she developed stomach cramps while filming the season 11 reunion in Sydney late last year.

“At the reunion dinner party I was doubled over in pain and then during the whole reunion shoot, I was just trying to smile through the pain and just get through it,” she details.

“I didn't know what it was, I thought it was jet lag. I really did. I just thought I'm working too hard, it’s the travel, I'm just not taking care of myself. I really didn't think it was anything else.”

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Mel went on to say that she can “barely remember” how the day unfolded, so it will be interesting to relive that moment when it airs on TV in a few months.

"It'll be really bizarre actually to watch that,” she remarks. “It's a little bit of a fuzzy memory now.”

'I just felt instantly better'

Three and a half weeks after her operation, Mel says her recovery is going “really well” and she’s already returned to work to film the new season of MAFS in the UK.

“I'm eating normally, I've started working out a little bit, I've even done some filming. So I am starting to feel kind of normal,” she shares.

“It's just good to have that ‘Terry’ out of my body. I just felt instantly better as soon as he was gone, the little bastard.”

Mel will now undergo chemotherapy for three months, which she says will be a combination of infusions in the hospital and tablets at home, and is focused on staying positive.

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