Megan Thee Stallion, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Selena Gomez make Time 100 list

Rising star rapper Megan Thee Stallion, Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge and singer Selena Gomez are among the high-profile figures to feature on Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world list.

Michaela Coel, the British writer behind the smash hit TV series I May Destroy You, also makes the list, alongside Oscar-winning Parasite director Bong Joon Ho, musicians Halsey and The Weeknd, and actor Michael B Jordan.

A record 54 women feature, Time said, while politicians recognised include US President Donald Trump, his rival for the White House Joe Biden, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and German chancellor Angela Merkel.

Taylor Swift, an avowed fan of Fleabag, wrote a tribute in Time for Waller-Bridge.

She said: “Sometimes all the puzzle pieces fall into place at the perfect time. A combination of razor-sharp instincts, killer wit and genuine care for the people she works with proved to be a winning hand.”

Actress Taraji P Henson penned a tribute to Megan Thee Stallion, 25, who has quickly become one of the most influential figures in rap music.

Henson wrote: “She rode the beat like I’d never heard anybody ride the beat in a long time – and I’m a hip-hop head… The industry might try to pigeonhole her in this rap game, but she’s got a plan that’s much bigger. And we got her. I just want her to keep winning.”

And Sir Elton John paid the ultimate compliment to The Weeknd, comparing the Canadian star to Prince.

He said: “He’s a mysterious figure in an era when mystery is rare in pop… He’s not interested in commerciality for commerciality’s sake, but he’s one of the biggest-streaming artists on Spotify. Like Prince, he marches to his own beat. That’s an exemplary way for an artist to be.”

Following a year blighted by the coronavirus pandemic, a record number of doctors, nurses and scientists made the top 100 list, Time said.

They include Dr Anthony Fauci, the face of the US’s fight against Covid-19.

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is listed in the “titans” section alongside Gabrielle Union, Dwayne Wade and Hollywood mogul Tyler Perry, among others.

Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi, co-founders of Black Lives Matter, are also included after a year of social unrest.

Social media star JoJo Siwa, 17, is the youngest person on this year’s list while 83-year-old Zhong Nanshan, who has a similar role in China to that which Dr Fauci holds in the US, is the oldest.