💔 “REST EASY, QUEEN”: MAFS AUSTRALIA FANS LEFT DEVASTATED AS THE SHOW AIRS EMOTIONAL FINAL TRIBUTE TO MEL SCHILLING FOLLOWING HER TRAGIC PASSING 💔 K1

AFS Australia has paid an emotional tribute to Mel Schilling following her death earlier this year – and fans are devastated.

The final episode of the series ended tonight with a heartbreaking montage dedicated to the relationship expert, who died in March aged 54 after battling stage 4 cancer.

Mel had continued filming MAFS Australia throughout her treatment and viewers were left in tears realising this would be the last time they would ever see her on the show.

MAFS Australia airs emotional tribute to Mel Schilling

Mel was first diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023 before later revealing the disease had spread to her lungs and brain.

Despite undergoing chemotherapy, she continued filming both MAFS Australia and MAFS UK while keeping her trademark warmth, glamour and honesty on-screen.

The tribute began with clips of Mel hugging several of this year’s brides and smiling alongside fellow experts John Aiken and Alessandra Rampolla.

As scenes from past seasons played out, Mel’s voice could be heard reflecting on the meaning behind the experiment.

She said: “Yes, this experiment is about finding love but there’s also another very important stream that runs through this experiment.

“It is about personal development, it is about finding your worth, it is about learning to find your voice and to really believe that you deserve love.”

The emotional montage also included a photo of Mel with her husband Gareth and daughter Maddie. It is the same picture the family released when Mel died.

She said to co-star John Aiken: “He says, ‘You’re my soulmate’. He says he can stop looking because he’s found me.”

The tribute ended with a montage of Mel smiling and laughing throughout her 12 series on the show before the screen faded to black.

Her final words heard on MAFS Australia were: “Thank you so much for your time in this experiment. For your courage, your authenticity.

“We salute you and wish you all the best and all the happiness in the world.”

Fans in tears over Mel’s final MAFS Australia appearance

Viewers quickly took to social media to share how emotional the tribute had left them.

One fan wrote: “That ending left me in tears. Seeing Mel’s husband and her daughter and thinking of the pain they must be going through. Heartbreaking.”

Another added: “I’m so sad, this was the last time we will see Mel. I am devastated.”

A third said: “The tribute to Mel at the end was beautiful. Fly high angel. This experiment will never be the same going forward.”

Someone else simply wrote: “Rest easy queen.”

And another added: “Why do people have to die? Life is so unfair.”

Mel first joined MAFS Australia in 2016 and quickly became one of the franchise’s most-loved experts thanks to her warmth, honesty and no-nonsense advice.

She died on March 24, 2026, surrounded by her family.