“Sorry”, as Elton John so rightly observed, seems to be the hardest word.

But when he dispensed that shaft of gnomic wisdom, Sir Elt had not foreseen the age of the Hollywood social media apology – in which “sorry” is not a single word but, ideally, a lengthy personal statement setting out not only the fact of one’s contrition but seeking to evince a detailed understanding of the nature of the offence, conveying a humble and limitless gratitude for the teachable moment of being chastised, and an earnest pledge to “do better”.

The Telegraph London