In Touch's Martin Gould, the west coast news director and someone who might be referred to as a "superstar reporter" by peers, is taking off for the greener pastures of … Star.

We had to re-read the email he sent to colleagues to believe it, but it does make sense: Star has been raiding the mastheads of other celeb weeklies in recent weeks, especially In Touch. That, and Gould's career is filled with breaking some pretty big stories in this biz, like Pamela Anderson's Hepatitis C status, which her publicist repeatedly denied only to later acknowledge in a "proper" media outlet.

Gould will become senior executive editor at Star when he starts there – or picks up where he left off in 2002 – next week.

"I wanted you all to hear it from me," Gould writes in his email, "because I am sure you will soon hear from someone else." So true!

I just want to let everyone know that today is my last day at In Touch. I have accepted the position of Senior Executive Editor at Star and will start next week.

I wanted you all to hear it from me, because I am sure you will soon hear from someone else. I wish I could have called you all
personally, but I will speak to most of you within the next few days, I am sure.

I am not leaving due to any problems with In Touch, I have had a great five years there and I am very sad to leave, but this job
is just too exciting and I would have been a fool to turn it down, even if it does mean leaving the sun of LA just in time for a New York winter.