Ellen More Loved Than Oprah

Ellen DeGeneres has over taken Oprah as the television personality Americans love the most.

The annual Harris Poll in the US states: "She vaulted to the top spot in the Harris Poll's annual favorite television star list after five years in the bottom five... and, after five years as number one, Oprah drops to second place this year."

Oprah hit the campaign trail last month alongside Democrat Barack Obama, drawing tens of thousands of people to rallies for the African-American senator from Illinois.

Ellen propelled herself into the entertainment spotlight following her televised revelation that she is a lesbian and years later her tearful breakdown over the repossession by the Humane Society of a dog she had adopted and subsequently given away to her hairdresser's daughter.

Both women host daytime talk shows. Ellen got more votes from single women and Oprah from married women.

And for the first time in the survey's 15-year history, a cartoon character, made it into the top 10.

Homer Simpson – who it’s believed got a boost from The Simpsons Movie being released last year - tied for ninth place with human comedian Ray Romano.

Other TV stars in the top 10 were late-night talk-show hosts David Letterman and Stephen Colbert, who tied for sixth place.