AceShowbiz - Britney Spears and Sir Elton John plan to put out an extended version of their hit single. The extended version of the track "Hold Me Closer" which the 40-year-old pop star and Elton, 75, recently joined forces to record is now set for release, as well as a bumper remix package.

" 'Hold Me Closer' has got off to a near- perfect start but now it's about longevity. Due to streaming, songs can stay on charts for months or simply drop off after the initial buzz dies down," a source told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column. "A few remixes and an extended version will help to combat that."

Britney and Elton have already topped the charts in the more than 40 countries around the world. And Elton recently suggested that their new single could help to boost Britney's confidence.

He said, "She's been away so long - there's a lot of fear there because she's been betrayed so many times and she hasn't really been in the public eye officially for so long. We've been holding her hand through the whole process, reassuring her that everything's gonna be alright."

Elton believes the single could also help Britney to understand the "love" and "care" that fans have for her. He explained, "I'm so excited to be able to do it with her because if it is a big hit, and I think it may be, it will give her so much more confidence than she's got already and she will realise that people actually love her and care for her and want her to be happy."

"That's all anybody in their right mind would want after she went through such a traumatic time."