Angelina Jolie has been named the most powerful celebrity in the world, forcing Oprah Winfrey off the top spot and into second.

Women took the top four places on the annual Forbes Celebrity 100 Power List, with pop stars Madonna and Beyonce coming close behind Jolie and Winfrey.

In a mixed year for Britons, Coldplay led the UK charge, coming in at number 15 thanks to the success of their Viva la Vida album. There was, however, no room for chef Gordon Ramsay and Harry Potter writer JK Rowling, both of whom dropped off the list.

The Forbes list is compiled using a mix of annual earnings and media visibility to determine the rankings.

Winfrey was named top earner, taking home $275m (£168 million).

But she was beaten to the top by Jolie who, despite earning less than a tenth of Oprah’s wage, was named most powerful celebrity due to her near omnipresence in the pages of tabloids and celebrity magazines.

The top place male, US golfer Tiger Woods, came in fifth.

Commenting on the list, Lacey Rose, senior reporter at Forbes, said: “It really was the year of the woman. What we see at the top of the list is tabloid-targeted people who command a big attraction through their artistic work and at the news stands.”

JK Rowling dropped off the list despite being the highest earner on last year’s list. The lack of a Harry Potter book over the period led to a lower profile for the writer.

Despite picking up an Oscar there was also no room for Kate Winslet, but other Britons were deemed to have enough clout to make the list.

Actor Hugh Laurie, the star of the US medical drama House, made his first ever appearance at 94.

Meanwhile, the continued success of Pop Idol, X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent ensured that Simon Cowell took 25th place, with his earnings for the year estimated at £46m ($75m).

Elsewhere, the list included its first sitting head of state. President Barack Obama, on the back of an historic election win and continued sales of his two books, entered the index at 49.

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