<P> The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs who are among the most persistent enemies of the Doctor in the British science fiction television programme , Doctor Who . Within the context of the series , the Cybermen are a species of emotionless space - faring cyborgs who look to co-opt human beings or other similar species to join and populate their ranks . First appearing in 1966 , the Cybermen were created by Dr. Kit Pedler ( the unofficial scientific advisor to the show ) and story editor Gerry Davis . </P>
when did cybermen first appear in doctor who
1966