Britney Spears' manager Larry Rudolph resigns saying singer plans to 'officially retire'

Britney Spears' manager Larry Rudolph has officially resigned, claiming the singer has told him she plans to officially retire.

The 39-year-old I'm A Slave 4 U singer has been on career hiatus since 2018 and, in the latest twist in her ongoing conservatorship battle, her manager of over 25 years has filed his resignation.

Rudolph said, in a letter to Spears’ conservatorship obtained by Deadline: “It has been over 2 1/2 years since Britney and I last communicated, at which time she informed me she wanted to take an indefinite work hiatus.

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"Earlier today, I became aware that Britney had been voicing her intention to officially retire.”

He added, “As her manager, I believe it is in Britney’s best interest for me to resign from her team as my professional services are no longer needed.”

The 57-year-old former entertainment lawyer has been Spears' main music manager since her career took off in the mid-90s. He has also represented Avril Lavigne, Miley Cyrus, will.i.am, Nicole Scherzinger, Justin Timberlake to name but a few.

He signed off his letter saying: "I will always be incredibly proud of what we accomplished over our 25 years together. I wish Britney all the health and happiness in the world, and I’ll be there for her if she ever needs me again, just as I always have been."

Rudolph's resignation follows in the footsteps of The Bessemer Trust — the financial management fund appointed to help oversee Spears' estate — which last week asked to withdraw from the role.

Spears is currently in the middle of a legal battle to free herself from the conservatorship overseen by her father Jamie Spears and the court-appointed Jodi Montgomery, which has the authority to make decisions regarding her life and career. The conservatorship was put in place in 2008 to protect the singer due to her ill mental health.

This has led to the Free Britney movement: a legion of fans who believe the singer is being kept in unfair conditions under the conservatorship.

The Born To Make You Happy singer recently issued a long testimony to a judge appealing to be given her freedom.

She argued if she is capable of earning money for other people then she is capable of looking after herself.

She said: "I just want my life back," and revealed, "I want to be able to get married and have a baby."

But her freedom bid took a knock when last week a judge denied the Toxic singer's request to have her father Jamie Spears removed from his role in overseeing her conservatorship, based on testimony issued in November 2020.

Spears — who entered the spotlight at the age of 11 on Disney’s The Mickey Mouse Club — suffered from the pressures of fame and work and had a very public breakdown in 2007.

After being put into her father’s care in 2008 she went on to revive her career, appearing as a judge on the US version of The X Factor, performing several hit world tours and starring in a successful Las Vegas residency.

Her family have argued she was placed under the conservatorship for her own protection as she was mentally ill and "vulnerable" to being manipulated for her fortune.

Read more: Britney Spears says sorry to fans for pretending like I've been okay

However, she pulled out of a second Las Vegas run due to stress and has not performed since October 2018.

Watch: Britney Spears called 911 over alleged abuse in her conservatorship