MAFS: Mel Schilling diagnosed with bowel cancer - and will spend Christmas in hospital

Married at First Sight expert Mel Schilling has been diagnosed with cancer.

Posting on social media earlier this week, the relationship coach revealed that doctors had told her she had colon cancer - and will be spending Christmas in hospital. The 51-year-old is one of three experts on the UK show, alongside Paul Brunson and Charlene Douglas. She also features on the Australian version of the show.

Colon cancer is a variant of bowel cancer, and Schilling will undergo an operation to have a tumour removed. According to Cancer Research UK, around 42,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year.

Sharing her news on Instagram, she said: "This week I had planned to travel to Northern Ireland with my family to spend Christmas with loved ones. Instead tomorrow morning I'm checking in to hospital to have an operation to remove a 5cm tumour in my colon, a tumour that had it gone undetected for much longer would have killed me.

"It will be so tough to spend Xmas Day in hospital instead of being surrounded by family but getting rid of Terry (what I’ve named my tumour) will be the best present of all. I just wanted to finish by saying that if something doesn’t feel right, please, please don’t ignore it and if you don’t think the answers you have got are right, keep going until you do, it might just save your life."

Schilling's post on Instagram was full of comments wishing her well, from former Married at First Sight contestants to other celebrities.

Tahnee Cook, who featured in season 10 of the Australian version of the show, said: "Sending you and your family all my love, strength and support."

Writer and podcaster Elizabeth Day commented: " I’m so sorry that you’re going through this. We all have your back and are supporting you through this next stage with such love in our hearts and love is the strongest thing of all. Thinking of you so much."

Loose Women presenter Coleen Nolan added: "Thinking of you Mel - you’re a force to be reckoned with and you can do this! Sending you so much love."