Before the most recent MAFS dinner party episode, a touching tribute took place to honour the legacy of expert Mel Schilling, who tragically passed on Tuesday night, March 24, 2026.
Following the devastating news, a spokesperson for Channel 9 confirmed to WHO that the show would honour Mel ahead of the first episode to air since her death.
These tributes had a profound impact on MAFS fans, who flooded social media with words of love and gratitude for Mel’s “grounding force” in the “wild MAFS world.”
Mel’s powerful tributes
Fans were both delighted and heartbroken to see not one, but two, tributes for Mel at the start and end of last night’s episode. John Aiken, fellow expert and long time friend of Mel, opened the episode with a piece-to-camera tribute to the MAFS matriarch, admitting that he’s finding it “hard to breathe” amidst the news.
Fans flooded comment sections online to commend John for his tribute during a time that is clearly heartbreakingly difficult.
Prior to John’s tribute, the MAFS expert wrote on social media about Mel’s passing.
“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,” he wrote.
At the end of the episode, fans were surprised to see another tribute to Mel – a beautiful montage showing just how much of a “light” Mel was in everyone’s lives.
One fan commented on these tributes writing that they “didn’t expect a tribute at the end as well.”
“To me that was unexpected,” the user wrote. “But I’ll say it again, MAFS will never be the same again without Mel. Definitely worth another tribute.”
Fans are ‘heartbroken’ over Mel Schilling’s passing
After last night’s episode, the most poignant moment was the memory of Mel’s “voice of reason” amidst the chaos that is MAFS.
“Mel was the calm and considered voice of reason we all need to hear from in the wild MAFS world,” one user commented.
“She was a grounding force to this lunacy,” another fan agreed.
Fans had nothing but positive words to say about Mel’s “excellent tribute”, writing tributes to Mel’s “empowering” and “beautiful” character and her “fabulous outfits” and “good advice.”
“Women empowering women,” one fan wrote. “Mel you were such a light.”
For fans, Mel Schilling was truly “the heart of the show.”
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