Another day, another Alan Jones apology

It’s becoming a familiar pattern for Sydney shock jock Alan Jones: say something incendiary and then make an apology.

There was his recent attack on Sydney Opera House boss Louise Herron that saw him accused of misogyny for which he issued an apology

Now, the broadcaster has been forced to say sorry to former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull for comments made on a Sky News program earlier this month.

Alan Jones forced into making yet another grovelling apology after calling former prime minster @TurnbullMalcolm ‘a traitor to the nation’ #auspol pic.twitter.com/DecCrtrIur

— Bevan Shields (@BevanShields) February 19, 2019

He described the ex-PM as a “traitor to the nation” for endorsing Liberal Party defector Julia Banks, who is running as an independent against Greg Hunt in his Victorian seat of Flinders.

At the start of his own Sky News program last night, Jones delivered an unqualified apology reportedly in response to a letter from a Turnbull lawyer.

“I went too far in my criticism. I accused Mr Turnbull of being a traitor to the nation.

“I acknowledge I had no justification for making that false statement and I apologise unreservedly to Mr Turnbull for doing so.”

The on-air apology comes as Jones and 2GB owner Macquarie Media negotiate a contract extension.

It also follows a $3.7 million dollar defamation payout to the wealthy Wagner family over comments made about 2011 Grantham floods.