Steven Moffat has said he was inspired by Lenny Henry's fight for screen diversity to cast a non-white Doctor Who companion.
Pearl Mackie was unveiled as the Time Lord's latest co-star last month, cast as a character named Bill.
"I'd been listening to what Lenny had been saying," showrunner Moffat told Doctor Who Magazine.
"We decided that the new companion was going to be non-white and that was an absolute decision because we need to do better on that.Young people watching the show have to know they have a place in the future."
BAFTA winner Henry recently spoke out against the BBC's lack of diversity, calling it "an oppressive institution" that needs to change.
"I worked at the BBC for 35 years before I had a meeting with anyone who looks like me," he said. "The only people like me were cleaning the corridors and that is not right.
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"You walk into the Beeb and it is very, very white. That is not anybody's fault. You can be in an oppressive institution and not be an oppressor."
Backing Henry's comments, Moffat added that he thinks it would be "amazing" if Doctor Who had two non-white leads.
"I don't think there's ever been a problem with making the Doctor black, which is why it should happen one day," he said.
Doctor Who will air its next full series in 2017, with Moffat then handing over showrunner duties to Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall in 2018.
The landmark 500th issue of Doctor Who Magazine is on sale now.
Watch Pearl Mackie make her debut as the Doctor's new companion Bill right here:
