Landing a television deal can set a rising comedian's career BACK by years, the head of the Avalon agency has claimed.

Jon Thoday says he turns down far more offers of TV work for his clients than he accepts.

Speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, Thoday estimated that the wrong show could delay a young comic's career "by about three years".

His comments were echoed by Harry Hill's producer Charlie Hanson, actors' newspaper The Stage reports.

He claimed the relationship between TV and comedians had reached an all-time low, and blamed broadcasters' inexperience and misunderstanding of comedy.

Dave Gorman, an Avalon client, turned down several TV offers before turning his quest for namesakes into The Dave Gorman Collection, as he felt producers did not understand how his comedy worked.