The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, no. 506, is on sale now and, as always, it brings with it the regular feature Ask Steven Moffat – where fans ask the Doctor Who show runner the burning questions of the day.

One Whovian asks Steven: do you think a young female companion is always the best choice for the Doctor’s best friend?

The show runner replies:

“Science-fiction is notoriously male. You can tell that because everyone wears uniforms and marches around talking about rules.

But Doctor Who has always felt to me, rather female. It’s full of kindness and compassion and eccentricity and wisdom instead of violence.

And from that point of view it is important that the main character, the Doctor’s best friend, should be female.”

The Doctor Who boss, who is currently working on Series 10 (due to air in 2017), adds:

“… it’s always been the story of his companions – and often his companion has been a young woman he has met and befriended. I think it would be damaging to Doctor Who if that voice and viewpoint were not represented.”

Steven Moffat also discusses the possible return of the Doctor’s daughter Jenny (Georgia Moffett), the Meta-Crisis Doctor, and dealing with writer’s block.

Doctor Who Magazine 506 is on sale now