Beyonce and JK Rowling in top three of Forbes celebrity earner list

Rowling earned $95m (£74.8m) off the back of Harry Potter spin-offs
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Emma Powell13 June 2017
The Weekender

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Beyonce and J.K Rowling are among the top three highest-paid entertainers in the world.

The US superstar and Harry Potter author ranked second and third respectively on Forbes’ annual list, which was topped by American rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Rowling earned $95m (£74.8m) off the back of Potter spin-offs Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them and the West End’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Combs jumped up from 22nd on last year’s list with earnings of $130m (£102m) thanks to his Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour, a partnership with Diego’s Ciroc vodka and selling one-third of his Sean John clothing line for an estimated $70m.

On top: Sean Combs topped the annual list
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Beyonce – who is expecting twins – took home earnings of $105m (£82.7m) thanks to her Formation Tour which grossed a quarter of a billion dollars.

Despite making up two thirds of the top three, women only make up 16 per cent of the world's top-earning celebrities.

Top three: JK Rowling raked in millions with Harry Potter spin-off productions
Chris Jackson/Getty

Drake placed fourth with fellow musicians The Weeknd and Coldplay in sixth and eighth respectively. Sportsmen Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James took fifth and tenth while US presenter Howard Stern placed seventh and author James Patterson ninth.

A wealth of newcomers made it on to the list including Amy Schumer who made Forbes history to become the first female comedian to make the Celebrity 100 after banking $37.5m (£29.5m) in 12 months, thanks to a lucrative Netflix deal, her book, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo and several endorsements.

Reality TV star Kylie Jenner also made the cut, taking 59th place with estimated earnings of $41m (£32m), to become the youngest member of the coveted list. The 19-year-old raked in the hefty fortune thanks to her family series Keeping Up With the Kardashians, her cosmetics company and several endorsements and appearances.

Despite performing for decades Guns N’ Roses ($84m), Billy Joel ($35m), and Dolly Parton ($37m) finally made it onto the list for the first time.

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