Oprah Winfrey has been named the highest paid celebrity for the fourth year in a row.

Winfrey – who quit her successful chat show last year after 25 years to focus on running her own television network – raked in $165-million between May 2011 and May 2012 to top Forbes' list of the Highest Paid Celebrities, beating directors Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg into second and third place respectively.

Winfrey is also the only woman in the Top Ten – but Forbes said that the media mogul's "reign might not last much longer as this is the last year we'll count any of her syndication money."

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer landed in fourth place with $115-million, while rapper Dr Dre was a "surprise" addition to the list in fifth place with money earned from his popular range of headphones.

Forbes wrote: "Dre didn't earn that money from the recording industry … It's from his Beats by Dr. Dre  headphones. Last August handset maker HTC paid $300-million for a 51 per cent stake in the company, which he co-founded with Interscope Chief Jimmy Iovine in 2006. It's a pretty good haul but one that Dre is unlikely to repeat next year." 

Also on the list were reality television mogul Simon Cowell, Star Wars creator George Lucas and shock jock Howard Stern.

Forbes Top 10 Highest Paid Celebrities 2012

1. Oprah Winfrey, $165-million
2. Michael Bay, $160-million
3. Steven Spielberg, $130-million
4. Jerry Bruckheimer, $115-million
5. Dr Dre, $110-million
6. Tyler Perry, $105-million
7. Howard Stern, $95-million
8. James Patterson, $94-million
9. George Lucas, $90-million
10. Simon Cowell, $90-million