OPRAH Winfrey has usurped Tom Cruise as the most powerful celebrity in the world while David Beckham has finally conquered America with his imminent move to Los Angeles.

The annual Forbes celebrity list was published yesterday, ranking the most famous celebrity figures on their earnings, and the number of magazine covers they made, their internet presence, their press clippings and the frequency with which they feature on TV and radio. Winfrey (53), has reclaimed the top spot that she lost last year, largely due to her phenomenal earning power. She made US$260m (€195m) in the past year, more than double anyone else on the list.

Winfrey is followed by the golfer Tiger Woods, who made history as the first sportsman to earn $100m (€75m) in a year, and Madonna, who returns to the list in third place after a successful tour. Britons feature strongly, with the Rolling Stones and Elton John both making it into the Top Ten thanks to estimated pay cheques of $88m (€66m) and $53m (€40m) respectively in the last calendar year. Beckham, who yesterday confirmed his summer move to LA Galaxy, jumped from 43rd in the list to 15th with estimated earnings of $33m (€25m).

After a lean year in 2006 when only Cruise, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas made the top 15, Hollywood returns with a vengeance. Johnny Depp, who earned $92m (€69m) last year, is in sixth place, pipped by Brad Pitt who is in fifth. Spielberg is tenth, Tom Hanks is eleventh and Angelina Jolie is at fourteen.

Cruise scrambles to eighth place, having endured a rollercoaster 12 months. Paramount Pictures dumped him after a 14-year-old business relationship, claiming he had cost the studio up to $150m (€112m) in lost revenues on 'Mission: Impossible III'.