Socialite Nicole Richie has escaped her court-mandated anti-drinking-and-driving class - because she's too pregnant.

The Simple Life was sentenced to a brief spell behind bars and the driving school lessons after she pleaded guilty to a Dui charge following a 2006 incident that saw her driving the wrong way down a Los Angeles highway.

She served just 82 minutes in prison earlier this year and now her lessons have been halted.

A spokeswoman for Richie tells Life + Style magazine, "Anyone who is pregnant or has medical issues can leave the class."

"It wasn't Nicole asking - she just showed up one day and the paparazzi were chasing her and she was exhausted. So the director of the program was concerned for her and suggested she take a leave of absence. She didn't get special treatment."

Richie reportedly started the 18-month course last month.