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Former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has revealed the incredibly poignant reason he included a homage to the iconic sci-fi show in his new series It's a Sin.

Set mainly in '80s London, It's a Sin follows a group of gay men and their female friend Jill as the HIV/AIDS epidemic gradually comes to define their lives. Lead character Ritchie Tozer (Olly Alexander) is an aspiring actor, and in one scene we see him battling the Daleks as he guest-stars in an episode of Doctor Who. WARNING: mild spoiler ahead.

In previous interviews, Davies has said that the character Jill, played by Lydia West, is based on Davies' real-life friend Jill Nalder. Now, he has revealed that the Doctor Who scene was written as a tribute to her friend, actor Dursley McLinden, who appeared in the 1988 Doctor Who episode "Remembrance of the Daleks." Tragically, McLinden's life was claimed seven years later by AIDS. He was just 30 at the time.

As The Independent reports, Davies explained the genesis of the scene in an interview with Doctor Who magazine, calling McLinden a "wonderful boy."

"He was one of Jill’s friends and one of the first people I ever met who’d been in Doctor Who," he continued. "I went to Jill’s 30th and there he was. He was already very ill, but he was so hilarious and lovely. I was thrilled to meet him. He became very wonderful in his AIDS activism when he was ill. But to me, he was that boy from "Remembrance of the Daleks." That's why I knew I had to write a Dalek scene in It’s a Sin."

It's a Sin premiered on U.K. network Channel 4 on January 22 to overwhelmingly positive reviews. It's due to debut in the U.S. on HBO Max on February 18. The cast includes several Doctor Who guest stars including Stephen Fry and Tracy-Ann Oberman. Check out a trailer below.

Are you looking forward to watching Russell T Davies' new series?