As his new series of shows debut, Russell T Davies already has the concept for his next show, entitled The Boys, which will be released next year.

Set in the 1980s, during the height of the HIV and Aids epidemic, Davies cites The Boys as his most autobiographical show to date.

Following on from current series Cucumber, Banana and Tofu, The Boys will focus on a group of men in the 1980s, along with a character based partly on a female friend of Davies who attempted to raise awareness of Aids at the time.

“It’s partly looking back on your life, it’s partly because of my boyfriend [who has been seriously ill] I have been staring mortality in the face,” Davies said at a Broadcasting Press Guild lunch.

The show has yet to be cast.

“I want to go into the bedsits – it’s called The Boys because it’s about the boys. And they will tell the stories of it, because there is a lot to say about it.”

According to RadioTimes, the Queer as Folk creator wants to focus on these issues now as he didn’t face the reality of the Aids situation at the time.

“I think we are reaching a bit of a generational thing where men like me in their 50s are looking back and realising how shocking it all was. We all ran away from it. I ran away from it.”

“I mean that for myself. I didn’t go on marches. We didn’t quite believe it was happening.”

The Doctor Who showrunner recalls how he attempted to pretend these issues didn’t affect himself or his friends, that at such a young age, he didn’t know how to deal with death and illness.

“I had friends who died and I didn’t go to their funerals. I didn’t even write to their mothers. I was young and stupid and I just carried on. And I am ashamed. And I wonder why. Which is why I want to write this. Things you want to write just rise up in you.”