With the addition of Pearl Mackie to the cast as the new companion, "Doctor Who" has a black companion on the series -- but there's still never been a black actor as the Doctor, to the criticism of many fans. Showrunner Steven Moffat has now addressed these concerns, saying he'd love the idea of two black leads, in addition to revealing that black actors have been considered for the role of the Doctor.

"Absolutely it would [be refreshing]," Moffat said in the latest issue of Doctor Who magazine. "Two non-white leads in Doctor Who would be amazing. In fact, a lot of people would barely notice...I certainly don’t think there’s ever been a problem with making the Doctor black, which is why it should happen one day...I mean, we’ve tried. The part has been offered to a black actor. But for various reasons, it didn’t work out."

Moffat added, "Sometimes the nature of a particular show – historical dramas, for instance – makes diversity more of a challenge, but Doctor Who has absolutely nowhere to hide on this...Young people watching have to know that they have a place in the future. That really matters. You have to care profoundly what children’s shows in particular say about where you’re going to be."

"Doctor Who" series 10 launches in spring 2017, on BBC1.