Psst. Wanna sing the Neighbours theme?

Neighbours has announced a contest for a new vocalist for its theme song, pitched as a social media karaoke sing-off between Australian and UK singers.

The official website has details of a revamped theme song and is asking for entrants to submit new vocal entries.

Five Australian entrants will be played on ELEVEN during the show’s opening credits from March 18. Another 5 from the UK will follow.

Rather than ask entrants to reinvent the song, there’s a new audio sample of the revamped theme on the website, which sounds a bit country and western for my liking.

Has anybody told Alan Fletcher he’s not allowed to enter?

Network Ten and FremantleMedia are searching for one singer to record a new version of the Neighbours theme song. Open to singers in Australia and the UK, the winning entrant will receive the ultimate prize of having their rendition of the theme tune played during the opening and closing credits of the show worldwide.

Both Australia and the UK will each feature five finalists, with the Aussie shortlist being announced on March 18 and then heard in the show’s opening credits on ELEVEN that week. At the end of the finals week, viewers will be invited to vote for their favourite in an online poll which closes on April 1. The winning choice will then face off against the UK contender to be judged by a panel of music industry experts.

The Neighbours theme song was written by the legendary husband and wife song writing team of Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent, the duo behind such classics as Petula Clark’s Sign of the Times, Downtown, Don’t Sleep In The Subway and Colour My World, and their own chart-topper, The Two of Us.

Australian singer and actor Barry Crocker recorded the first version of the song, which made the charts in Australia and the UK and was heard on air from 1985 to 1992. Greg Hind’s version featured in Neighbours from 1992 to 1998, while rock stars Paul Norton and Wendy Stapleton’s version was on air for the next three years. Janine Mauder recorded the theme tune heard from 2001 to 2007, while Sandra De Jong’s take on the television classic has featured on the show since 2007.

“Forget the Ashes, this will be the real competition between Australia and the UK, as Neighbours has a devoted following in both countries,” said Neighbours Executive Producer Richard Jasek.

Over the years, the Neighbours theme song has been covered by stars such as Dame Edna Everage, Des O’Connor and the Neighbours cast. The lyrics were also quoted by John Smith, then British Shadow Chancellor, in a House of Commons debate on Government economic policy.

In the spirit of the competition, which kicks off today, the current Neighbours cast have recorded their own versions of the song as a guide to what to do, and maybe what not to do.

The winning entry will claim the ultimate title as the international voice of Neighbours and be heard on-air from April 15.

Details of how to enter the competition can be found at  www.neighboursremixed.com.au