British pop star ROBBIE WILLIAMS is set to end his two-year career hiatus - he is planning to release an album in 2009.
The Angels singer has been on "album strike" due to discrepancies with his record label EMI and its new owners, business giant Terra Firma.
Fans feared Williams would never record again after living an increasingly reclusive life holed up at his Los Angeles mansion since his 2006 LP Rudebox.
But the star's manager, Tim Clark, tells BBC Newsbeat that the singer is penning new songs for an album - and hopes to release it next year (09).
Clark says, "I would certainly hope that a new album will be coming next year. There are never any guarantees but that's what we would hope." And when asked about Williams' current relationship with EMI and how that will effect the album's release, Clark replied, "We have no idea how EMI will market and promote the album." However, Clark insists Williams is doing well, and enjoying the creative songwriting process.
He adds, "He's been writing and we heard some wonderful stuff. I was with Robbie last week. He was at home and he was writing songs and he played some of them to us.
"He's in very fine spirits, in very fine form and I think what he's doing sounds really wonderful."