Real Housewives stars to start prison sentences

The married stars of the Real Housewives of New Jersey are swapping reality TV for prison.

Teresa Giudice was sentenced to 15 months in prison on conspiracy and bankruptcy charges while her husband Joe was handed 41 months.

Together they must pay back nearly €325,000.

Teresa, 42, will serve her sentence first, starting in January, so Joe can stay home with the couple's four children.

She cried as she apologized in court before her sentencing.

"I fully take responsibility for my actions. I need to learn to take responsibility for myself," she said. "I can’t even explain the pain that I have gone through. I am more sorry than anybody will ever know or understand."

Joe Giudice also apologized and said he had disgraced many people. He faces an immigration hearing when he completes his sentence and likely will be deported. His attorney has said Giudice came to the US as a baby and did not know he wasn’t an American citizen until he was an adult.