Pop star Britney Spears’ publicist Sonia Muckle has left the singer to start her own marketing company.

After parting ways with Leslie Sloane Zelnick in October, Spears has been without a personal publicist and Muckle, a publicist at Spears’ label Jive Records, was temporarily handling her recent press coverage. Muckle is now moving on to start her own marketing and promotions company. But she insists her departure has nothing to do with Spears’ recent antics, which include spending numerous nights with Paris Hilton and being photogr-aphed without underwear. Hollywood.com quoted Muckle as saying: “I left of my own accord. This has been in the works for several months.” Spears is heading back into the studio to record her new album in January.