Schilling made the announcement on Instagram, alongside a photograph of her husband and daughter.

She was part of the Married At First Sight team in her home country of Australia, then later joined the UK version on Channel 4, and works alongside Charlene Douglas and Paul Brunson.

Schilling wrote that instead of travelling to Northern Ireland to be with her family for Christmas, she is going to hospital to have an operation to remove a 5cm long tumour from her colon.

The 51-year-old added that if it had gone undetected for much longer, it would have killed her.

"Despite this, I feel incredibly blessed that it's a cancer that is relatively easy to eradicate, I'm expected to make a full recovery though it's a rough road ahead," she wrote.

"I also feel so lucky to have an incredible support network around me, both personally and professionally, my own family and my TV family have been amazing this past few days.

"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."

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Colon cancer is a form of bowel cancer, the NHS says, and those who are over 50, smoke, or who are overweight, tend to be more at risk.

Symptoms to look out for are changes in your poo, blood when you're using the toilet, stomach pain and fatigue, and if anyone has those symptoms for more than three weeks, they are encouraged to make a GP appointment.