Shatner 'breaks' Beatles record

William Shatner: "Stick to the day job"

Former Star Trek actor William Shatner's version of Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds has been voted the worst Beatles cover of all time.

He beat Pinky and Perky, who did a version of All My Loving, and Pop Idol stars Will Young and Gareth Gates with The Long And Winding Road.

Viewers voted in a poll for digital TV channel Music Choice to mark the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' first number one, From Me To You, this week.

WORST 10 BEATLES COVERS

1. William Shatner - Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

2. Pinky and Perky - All My Loving

3. Will Young and Gareth Gates - The Long and Winding Road

4. Damon Hill - Drive My Car

5. Bananarama with French and Saunders - Help!

6. Jim Carrey - I Am the Walrus

7. Wet Wet Wet - With A Little Help From My Friends

8. Suggs - I'm Only Sleeping

9. PM Dawn - Norwegian Wood

10. Candy Flip - Strawberry Fields Forever

Source: Music Choice

Shatner - better-known as Captain Kirk in Star Trek - released an album in 1968 featuring renditions of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, Mr Tambourine Man and Romeo and Juliet.

Pinky and Perky were at number two, while third placed Gates and Young reached number one with their take on the Beatles classic in October.

Former Formula One driver Damon Hill, who was a friend of late Beatle George Harrison, was placed fourth with Drive My Car.

And Hollywood star Jim Carrey, who contributed I Am The Walrus to a tribute album for Beatles producer Sir George Martin, was also in the top 10.

Simon Bell of Music Choice said: "There can be few greater challenges even for the finest musicians than attempting to cover a track by The Beatles.

"After all, how can you hope to improve on the work of the world's greatest ever group?

"While chart acts like PM Dawn, Suggs and Candy Flip might feel entitled to have a stab at greatness, the likes of Damon Hill, Jim Carrey and William Shatner are best advised to stick to the day job."