Before he sacks her "The person I'm about to fire is NOT a failure".
Tells Tom and Helen "There's a woman of exceptional ability" lets them know you two are lucky and the woman who left is perhaps better than both of you. She didn't do anything to prove this.
Nobody else got this treatment in the boadroom

And he was trying to be extra critical of Helen just to defend Melody even though Helen has been WAY better than her and deserves some slack.
The guy had a major crush on her, he was gutted to let her go.

In my opinion. sirlordmajestyalan has made some... 'curious' remarks this series..

Similar to last year when he let Liz go in favour of "the Brand"

It was the most gentle firing in this series.

The difference: Liz was good & capable, Melody was not.

Don't think Lady Sugar will be too pleased to hear that

Seriously though, it's been quite obvious he thought highly of her [yes, and don't ask me why]. She said herself she puts on a tougher front to disguise vulnerability. Perhaps Sugar knows this, he certainly rated her but realised she wouldn't be good as a business partner.

In the past he has made gentle firings ..."with regret" etc

Just be pleased she is gone .... I am

she did not deserve it. she represents what is wrong about business

Lord Al generally is more inclined to do a 'with regret' at this stage of the series - it reflects badly on the process and his judgement if a complete screw up makes it to episode 10!
An exception was StuBaggs last year - but I think there Al thought The Brand had pulled the wool over his eyes and tricked him into losing a good possibility in Liz.

He always makes comments like that towards the end of the series - to emphasis that strong characters are now getting the boot, and only the best of the best can survive.

Seems funny that the winning team - despite having to absorb a dubious fine seemed to get a far tougher time than the Fired person.

I presume when Natasha does appear in the boardroom we can just skip all the b/s and have her fired instantenously given Lord Sugar's apparent disdain for her.

I'm pretty sure lord Al was trying to manipulate it so that Natasha was in the boardroom - and he very nearly managed it - if only he had made the fine £150 he'd have had Natasha out and Melody still in.

I think he was gutted to have the 3 in front of him that he did - he really wanted Natasha - and if she had been there - she would have been toast on the basis that she did sweet FA, ignored and attempted to humiliate her team members and completely missed the point of the exercise!

I was wondering why all the regrets, compliments and soft-soap firing of Melody. He is quite brutal to most of them when the firing comes. I couldn't see why she was singled out for the kid glove treatment. There is nothing special about her above the others except perhaps that she is more pushy.