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Gerard Butler's pagan New Year's Eve

Dec 31, 2012, 15:01 GMT

Gerard Butler

Gerard Butler is going to a pagan festival to celebrate New Year's Eve.

The 'Playing for Keeps' actor returns to his native Paisley, Scotland most years to be with his family, and will be taking part in the traditional celebrations to cast out evil spirits as she sees 2013 in.

He said: 'I love New Year's Eve. I often end up in my local village in Scotland where my parents now live, and they have this pagan festival where everybody lights these wooden torches and marches around the village to cast out evil spirits. It's amazing, it's one of the coolest things.'

Gerard, 43, had some ups and downs in 2012, with him completing three weeks in the Betty Ford Center in February to be treated for a reliance on prescription drugs, although he says he is 'glad' he went.

He said: 'Maybe a stronger person wouldn't have needed to go. When you hear the word rehab, you think, 'He's a mess, he's f***ed up.' But I'm glad I did it. I've made a s**t load of wrong decisions in my life. But I know I've made some right ones as well. 'They really do rip you apart [in rehab]. You get rid of a bunch of s**t, realise a bunch more s**t, and you make a plan.'