Ofcom has launched an investigation into whether a GB News programme where Rishi Sunak took questions from the public breached impartiality rules by failing to include other political views. The broadcast watchdog said it had received 500 complaints about People’s Forum: The Prime Minister, held in County Durham on 12 February on Monday last week. An Ofcom spokesperson said: “We are investigating under rules 5.11 and 5.12 of the broadcasting code, which provide additional due impartiality requirements for programmes dealing with matters of major political controversy and major matters relating to current public policy. “Specifically, rules 5.11 and 5.12 require that an appropriately wide range of significant views must be included and given due weight in such programmes, or in clearly linked and timely programmes.” GB News has previously faced complaints and other Ofcom investigations over its employment of several Conservative MPs as hosts, who have sometimes interviewed Tory colleagues. Last year, Ofcom ruled that the channel breached impartiality rules with a programme in which Esther McVey, now a minister, and her husband, the longstanding Tory backbencher Philip Davies, interviewed Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, before the spring budget and “failed to represent a wide range of significant views”. The channel has faced complaints about the airing of conspiracy theories by other hosts. Last week, Ofcom cleared GB News of wrongdoing after Neil Oliver linked coronavirus vaccines to the nonexistent condition “turbo cancer”, saying this was permitted as it was Oliver’s personal view. In Sunak’s appearance the presenter, Stephen Dixon, said the questions to be asked by undecided voters had not been seen in advance by the prime minister or by GB News. Downing Street said Sunak did not regret taking part in the broadcast. His official spokesperson said: “This is obviously a matter firstly for Ofcom, [which is] rightly an independent regulator. But obviously, as you’ll see regularly, the prime minister undertakes interviews from a range of broadcasters, outlets and other media. “Media appearances such as the one he conducted last week are an important part of the democratic process.” Conservative MPs who present shows on GB News include the former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg and Lee Anderson, formerly the party’s deputy chair.