Actor Peter MacNicol has had his Emmy nomination withdrawn after the Television Academy ruled his performance in Veep was ineligible in the category Outstanding Guest Actor, Comedy.

MacNicol plays Jeff Kane in the hit HBO series. The category is open to actors who have appeared in less than 50% of a programme's current series but since he had been entered for the award  at whic h point he was eligible – he had gone on the appear in another episode of Veep, exceeding the number of permitted episodes for the category.

The Television Academy told The Hollywood Reporter; "Unfortunately, that additional appearance places him in 50% of the season's episodes and makes him no longer eligible to compete in the guest actor category. This decision is in no way a diminishment of Mr MacNicol's stellar performance on this season of Veep."

A replacement nominee will be announced shortly.