The world's most successful female pop group, the Spice Girls, have dumped the manager who led them to fame and fortune.

The pop guru Simon Fuller catapulted the girls to stardom and made them £6 million each. But he has been sacked in a move masterminded by Ginger Spice Geri Halliwell.

In a statement the band said it would be parting company with Simon Fuller and his company 19 Management.

"We feel in our hearts that this is the right decision for us," the Spice Girls said.

"We would like our fans to know that we are positive and excited about the future."

Mr Fuller, a 36-year-old millionaire, was sometimes known as the sixth Spice Girl.

As recently as last week, an insider said: "He tells them precisely what to do and they act out their parts to the letter like robots."

No more. The five group members - Ginger Geri Haliwell, Sporty Mel Chisholm, Scary Mel Brown, Posh Victoria Adams and Baby Emma Bunting - appear to want to go it alone.

An incredible sucess story

If it was money the Spice Girls really wanted, they have certainly got it. Each has made around £6m in their two year careers.

Yet for a band frequently dismissed as manufactured and commercial, critical success has not been entirely lacking.

Scary Spice with Nelson Mandela

In the past 10 days, they received MTV's "best band in the world" accolade and met the South African President, Nelson Mandela.

Mr Mandela, who spent decades in jail and saw the overthrow of the apartheid system, described meeting the group as "the best day of my life."

The Spice Girl's first five singles went to number one in Britain and sold millions around the world.

The group has also signed around £4m worth of advertising deals for a wide range of products.

"This is the girls' idea"

A spokesman for Fuller 19, Julian Henry, said: "We confirm that there is to be a parting of the ways between the Spice Girls and 19 Management.

Launching the poppy appeal

"It's been great for us to be a part of the success of the girls over the last two years. This is very much the girls' ideas and we wish them the very best of luck in the future."

Mr Henry added: "Simon does not really want to say much more. He is resting in Europe."

Amongst Mr Fuller's other clients are the Liverpool footballer Steve McManaman and singer Annie Lennox. He began promoting aged 24, pushing Paul Hardcastle's single "19" to number one.

Yet the Spice Girls were by far his most famous and highest grossing act. He took them on after they left their original management and shaped them into their current mould.

Mr Fuller almost never gives interviews and prefers not to be photographed with any of the performers he manages.

Yet his spokesman Mr Henry insisted neither Mr Fuller nor 19 Management felt shocked at the the outbreak of genuine 'Girl Power'.

"It's been talked about for a few days," he said. "It wasn't a big bombshell.

"Things come to an end naturally sometimes and the girls are going onwards and upwards and we wish them our best."

He added: "They are five very talented, successful, motivated women who know what they want and Simon is a brilliant manager and the girls are now empowered to go on to new heights."

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