Married at First Sight Australia has reportedly found a new relationship expert to join the show's panel, with Brigitte Zonta – known professionally as Dr Lurve – said to have signed on for the 2027 season. The move comes after the death of beloved coach Mel Schilling in March this year, aged 54, following a battle with cancer that had spread to her brain.
Dr Lurve joins the expert panel
According to the Daily Mail, Dr Lurve, who bills herself as Australia's number one relationship expert on Instagram, will sit alongside seasoned expert John Aiken and sexologist Alessandra Rampolla for the show's 14th series. While broadcaster Nine has not made an official announcement, a production insider described Zonta as an “ideal television personality” who combines “extensive relationship knowledge” with “an ability to explain complicated ideas in a way viewers can immediately understand”.
Dr Lurve's Instagram suggests she is currently travelling, and she is said to have been abroad when she received the news of her casting. The insider also claimed she will not shrink from confronting participants over “questionable behaviour”, a hallmark of the chaotic reality show.
A tribute to Mel Schilling's legacy
Mel Schilling was first diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023 and underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy while filming MAFS. The psychologist-turned-TV host had helmed the expert panel of the Australian franchise for 12 seasons and also appeared in five series of the UK version on Channel 4. Earlier this year, she announced she would be stepping back from filming to prioritise her family and health, with John Aiken stepping in to cover her duties for the remainder of the latest UK series.
What Dr Lurve brings to the show
The insider told the publication: “No one can replace Mel, and that is not what they are asking Dr Lurve to do. She has her own voice, her own energy and her own way of connecting with people. She can be warm and entertaining, but she can also cut through the excuses when somebody is not being honest.”
They added that Zonta understands modern dating and can identify why singletons go for the “wrong person”. The source concluded: “She will be looking at whether the participants’ words and behaviour actually match. That is going to make her very interesting at the dinner parties and commitment ceremonies.”
Metro has contacted Brigitte Zonta and Nine for comment on this story.
