Hoai-Tran Bui

USATODAY

Doctor Who? No, the newest BBC series that we're hyped for is the sci-fi show's spinoff, Class, which will feature a gay lead.

In a big step forward for BBC's push for diversity -- producers and showrunners have constantly struggled with critiques that the Doctor is exclusively played by white men, despite chances for a black or female actor to take the part -- writer Patrick Ness has revealed the spinoff will have a gay lead character.

Class follows the alien-fighting adventures of students at Coal Hill School, the London school where Doctor Who companion Clara Oswald, as well as the original companions Ian, Barbara and Susan, hailed from. The four main students will be played by Greg Austin, Fady Elsayed, Sophie Hopkins, and Vivian Oparah, with Katharine Kelly playing a mysterious Coal Hill teacher Miss Quill.

In several tweets Monday, Ness revealed that either Austin or Elsayed’s character will be portrayed as openly gay and in a committed relationship.

The news was meant to be kept secret, but Ness revealed the information in a show of solidarity for the victims of the Orlando shooting, in which about 50 people were killed in a gay nightclub Sunday.

Class is not the first Doctor Who-related series to feature a gay character. The 2006 spinoff Torchwood depicted Captain Jack Harkness in a relationship with team member Ianto Jones, and the Doctor himself has been hinted at having a fluctuating sexuality. In another push for diversity, Doctor Who recently cast black actress Pearl Mackie as the Doctor's newest companion.

But still, it's a big step for any popular show to have a school-age lead character be LGBT, especially in a time when shows have faced backlash for their brutal treatment of gay characters.

Class is set to debut on BBC in the fall.

Diversity returns to BBC's 'Doctor Who'