Ashton Kutcher has become the best paid actor on US television, having earned an estimated $24 million in one year for his role on Two and a Half Men.

Not only did he replace Charlie Sheen in the lead role on the hit show, he also replaced him at the top spot on the Forbes TV earnings list.

Last year Charlie Sheen, who was fired from the CBS show, was paid a reported $40 million for playing Charlie Harper.

Charlie Sheen is now in Anger Management but does not earn enough to get into the top 10.

Other people who fell out of the Forbes magazine list include Steve Carell, who left The Office: An American Workplace last year.

Before his departure he was taking home $15 million for the role.

Names in this year’s list include British actor and comedian Hugh Laurie, who earned $18 million for his lead role in House.

Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey, Jim Parsons from The Big Bang Theory and Jason Segel of How I Met Your Mother also feature in the top 10.

According to Forbes, the estimates do not include deductions for manager and agent fees or “the other costs of being a celebrity”.

Ashton Kutcher has become the best paid TV actor, having earned an estimated $24M in one year for his role on Two and a Half Men

Forbes Top 10 best paid TV actors

• 1 Ashton Kutcher, $24 million

• 2= Hugh Laurie, $18 million

• 2= Ray Romano, $18 million

• 4= Alec Baldwin, $15 million

• 4= Mark Harmon, $15 million

• 6 Tim Allen, $14 million

• 7 Jon Cryer, $13 million

• 8 Patrick Dempsey, $12 million

• 9= Jim Parsons, $8 million

• 9= Johnny Galecki, $8 million

• 9= Jason Segel, $8 million