KATE BECKINSALE - BECKINSALE ALWAYS DREADS NEW YEAR'S EVE

British actress KATE BECKINSALE is dreading the arrival of New Year's Eve (31DEC04) - because she always tries to give up smoking and fails within hours.

While many people look forward to toasting the New Year, Beckinsale - who is spending the holidays in her native London - always looks forward to when it's over.

She says, "I hate New Year's Eve with a passion because there is such pressure to have a good time. Normally I'm just relieved it's over.

"The next day I'll give up smoking for about seven hours and then think, 'I can't have a year as rotten as these seven hours.' That's about it, really."