Married At First Sight is back on our screens with more reality TV drama and relationship expert Mel Schilling is on hand to offer up her wisdom to hopeful newlyweds.
The relationship guru has become a fan favourite on the hit show, featuring on both the Australian and UK versions of the hit series.
But many fans are wondering how the Aussie star’s own love life matches up as she dishes out advice to others.
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The stunning star has a magical love story fit for a love expert, having met her Irish husband and formed a long-distance relationship before meeting and falling in love.
The pair have faced their share of ups and downs, from travelling the world together and battling a tragic miscarriage.
Daily Star has taken a more in-depth look at the star’s love life.
Long-distance relationship
(Image: @mel_schilling1)
Mel counts her success as the reason she put her love life aside and remained single into her late 30s.
The star claims she “wasn’t interested in anyone” because she was travelling the world and working overseas.
But after matching with Gareth on dating app eharmony, everything changed.
She told OK! Magazine: “He just turned my world upside down. I was not expecting that!
(Image: @mel_schilling1)
“He’s from Whitehead in Northern Ireland, but he was living in Adelaide, and I was in Melbourne.”
The pair battled a long-distance relationship for six weeks, which Mel claims was really pivotal in the success of their relationship, because the pair were communicating every day.
She told the publication: “I felt like that was a great way to build a solid foundation for a relationship before you complicate it with chemistry and sex.”
Though she does admit his string accent posed a challenge at first: “I couldn’t talk to him on the phone at first, because I couldn’t understand his accent!”
Tragic miscarriage
(Image: @mel_schilling1)
Despite admitting she didn’t know if she wanted to have a baby, Mel admits when she met Gareth the pair decided to give parenthood a go and were able to conceive very quickly.
“That pregnancy lasted for 12 weeks and I had a miscarriage. It was difficult and we both experienced a lot of grief with that, and I still think about it. It’s certainly a very, very tough experience.
But what it did for us is make us absolutely rock solid, so clear, that this was what we wanted. It gave us clarity.
(Image: @mel_schilling1)
Mel adds that the pair went on to have “conception sex” which she describes as: “with your legs up the wall and hanging upside down afterwards,” to improve their chances of conceiving.
Unfortunately, nothing worked, so the pair turned to IVF.
“We went down the IVF path, which was very successful for us.
“Maddie was one of the little eggs that was frozen for six weeks, then they popped her inside of me and boom, here she is. I had her when I was 42.”
UK connection
(Image: @mel_schilling1)
In April, Mel moved herself, her husband Gareth and their six-year-old daughter, Maddie, to Brighton to film the popular reality show.
And given her husband’s roots in the UK, Mel admits it’s tempting to stay put in their current home in the UK.
“I’m excited to be here. My grandmother was born here, and obviously it’s very close to and connected with Gareth and his family in Northern Ireland.”
(Image: @mel_schilling1)
She admits having lots of English friends and wanting to make both places home.
“We’re looking at setting up a kind of a bi continental lifestyle for the next five years or so.
“I’ll go back for season nine of MAFS Australia, but I do feel really at home here, too.
“I certainly have a lot of career prospects here in the UK and Australia.”
Married at First Sight UK airs Monday to Thursday on E4 at 9pm
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
