'American Idol' judges Mariah Carey and Nicky Minaj have reportedly called a truce, while host Ryan Seacrest says feuding judges is great.

The show's host said that things got intense between new judges Minaj and Carey during a tryout taping the previous day in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Amid a dispute over a contestant, Minaj announced that she was no longer putting up with "her ... Highness," in a reference to Carey and with a few expletives added in.

Another new judge, Keith Urban, was in the unenviable position of sitting between the two of them.

Though Carey and Minaj have called a truce, according to TMZ, and are said to have buried the hatchet, with the rivals reportedly being civil and professional throughout auditions for the reality TV show in Charlotte, North Carolina.

On his radio show, Seacrest said Idol needs some passionate debate.

"It did get intense," he said. "We want that. We want them to be on this panel together. This is a good team, a great team, to go out and look for the next American Idol ... the feedback that they give is very good."

American Idol is still America's most popular show despite a dramatic fall-off in ratings last season that led to three new judges joining Randy Jackson. The show's new season premieres in January.

A Fox representative said the network has no comment on its feuding judges.

Minaj allegedly threatened Carey by shouting: "Off with your head!"

The argument was caught on camera and shows the Starships singer screaming violent insults at Carey because she made her feel "inadequate" during the auditions round of the competition.

The video, obtained by TMZ, shows Minaj firing a string of X-rated accusations at Carey, despite fellow judges Jackson and Urban trying to diffuse the heated fight.

Minaj shouts: "Think I'm playin? Think this s**t is a f*****g joke? Think it's a joke? ... If you say one more disrespectful thing to me - off with your head!

Carey replies: "I am not being disrespectful", to which Minaj retorts: "Off with your head, off with your head.

"Don't tell me I'm insecure, don't tell me I'm inadequate ... You're the insecure one sitting up there running down her resume every five minutes.

"I told them, I'm not f*****g putting up with your f*****g Highness over there ... Figure it out."

Show bosses called off filming so the stars could cool off, but there were still fears the newly-appointed judges will be unable to work together in future after Carey branded Minaj immature and the feisty rapper slammed the diva for being "boring as f**k".

The video ends with Carey whining: "Why do I have a three-year-old sitting around me? ... I can't see my kids because you decided to have a little baby fit and going all around the stage."

Minaj retorts: "Good, well then go see them now, go see them now ... you're boring as f**k."

TMZ is claiming a show insider overheard Minaj taking her threats to the next level and ranting: "If I had a gun, I would shoot her."

Sources say Carey handled the spat with "poise and grace".

The Touch My Body singer is determined to move on from the heated catfight and intends to take the moral high ground.

A friend of Carey's told People magazine: "She's not going to let this faze her now - the outbursts won't faze her.

"She'll handle [it] with poise and grace. Mariah has dealt with far worse in her career."

Carey’s husband Nick Cannon – with whom she has 17-month-old twins Morrocan and Monroe – insistts the pop star doesn't want to be caught up in any dramas on the show and is focused on finding the next big singer.

Cannon told Access Hollywood: "My wife is the strongest and classiest woman that I've ever met, if you watch the video, she just maintains her composure ... I don't think she's moved by the theatrics and pageantry of it all.

"She signed up to do a job to help young people. This is like a sidebar. I hope that's not what this show becomes, about the catfights."

Seacrest said that despite the singer's differences, things went too far.

Speaking on his KIIS-FM radio show, he explained they were "very different individuals ... with different perspective and different opinions that provide for interesting conversation and dialogue and feedback for the contestants.

"Yesterday it got heated. It was intense, I'll be honest with you."