The Nigerian-born poet, playwright, curator and writer, best known for his National Theatre production Barber Shop Chronicles, told RadioTimes.com that Dot and Bubble is one of his "favourite in the previous series" and guided him when writing his upcoming episode.
In Dot and Bubble, the Doctor is a victim of racism, while in The Story and the Engine, the "colour of his skin is part of how he interacts with people".
The writer also pointed out that, despite the show tackling conversations around racism, the Doctor's race shouldn't be a significant thing, saying: "Moving forward, I’d just like to see more interesting stories where the Doctor’s looks aren't really key to the story.
"And here, his colour of his skin is part of how he interacts with the people, but it's the most reductive part. It doesn't really matter."
The episode marks a first for the series, with the TARDIS landing in Lagos, Nigeria - a move Ellams calls a "hug, an olive branch, to the fans that exist in that part of the world".
"The moral of the story is to give credit where it’s due," he revealed. "I was trying to give credit to the nuance and the racial diversity within Nigeria itself."
Dot and Bubble also famously had an incredibly powerful ending with a stunning performance from Gatwa - and Ellams has suggested that The Story and the Engine could have a similarly powerful impact, teasing: "There’s something that echoes beyond the last frame of my episode, which I could not have seen when I wrote it."
Dive into our Doctor Who story guide: reviews of every episode since 1963, plus cast & crew listings, production trivia, and exclusive material from the Radio Times archive.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Doctor Who writer reveals why next episode is a companion piece to Dot and Bubble )
Also on site :