Simon Cowell tops US money earners' list; Gordon Ramsay in ninth spot

Simon Cowell has been named the top-earning entertainment personality in the US – taking almost £60 million in just one year.

A picture of Simon Cowell at a showbiz event

Simon Cowell (Joel Ryan/Invision/AP/Invision/Press Association Images)

Forbes puts The X Factor judge, 55, at the top of the list of big-earners for estimated earnings for the 12 months before June 2014.

The publisher said that the TV and music mogul’s millions came from his X Factor and Got Talent earnings around the globe, as well as chart-toppers One Direction.

(Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Shock jock Howard Stern, who is also a judge on America’s Got Talent, took joint first place with Cowell at the top of the list.

(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

The top 10 also featured foul-mouthed British chef Gordon Ramsay, who continues to enjoy huge success in the US, in ninth place with £29 million ($47 million).

Forbes talked to agents, managers and lawyers to come up with estimates for entertainment-related earnings for each celebrity.

(Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Oprah Winfrey was fourth with £51 million ($82 million), while chat show host Ellen DeGeneres was sixth with £44 million ($70 million).

The top 10 also featured US right-wing TV host Glenn Beck, Dr Phil host Phil McGraw, US entertainer Rush Limbaugh, US TV host Ryan Seacrest and Judge Judy star Judge Judy Sheindlin.

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